HOW TO KEEP YOUR DANGEROUS
MEDICATIONS SAFE FROM KIDS
SAMPLE
VillageCareMAX is an HMO plan with Medicare and New York State Medicaid contracts. Enrollment in VillageCareMAX depends on contract renewal. Service area includes the
following counties: Bronx, Kings (Brooklyn), New York (Manhattan) and Queens. For accommodations of persons with special needs at meetings, call 1-800-469-6292 (TTY: 711).
VillageCareMAX complies with Federal civil rights laws and does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.
ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-800-469-6292 (TTY: 711).������������������������������������
����������������������������������������������������������������������������
TIMESLEDGER | Q 24 NS.COM | JULY 16-JULY 22, 2021
into parents’ or grandparents’
medicine. Unintentional
injuries
including poisoning
are the leading cause
of mortality among infants
and children in
the United States, according
to the Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention.
Research from the
American Association
of Poison Control
Centers shows the vast
majority (90%) of poisonings
occur at home.
That’s why it’s important
to look at how
you use medications
in your household and
adopt safer practices
that include:
Never leave medications
out
When busy multitasking,
you may leave
your medication out
on a counter or toss it
in your purse or backpack.
Leaving it out
even for a minute could
be enough time for a
child to access and open
it. Don’t leave medications
where kids can
see them or where they
can easily be found,
such as in drawers, on
nightstands or in bags.
If the medication is for
your child when they
are sick, never leave it
in their bedroom.
Store medicines out
of reach
Choose one storage
location for all medication
that is out of reach
of children. This can be
anywhere throughout
the home that is high
and out of sight. Get
in the habit of putting
medication back in its
safe storage location
every time.
Use a locking container
Even though most
prescription containers
have child-resistant
caps, children can find
ways to open them.
Consider using Safe Rx
Locking Pill Bottles to
secure medications.
The convenient portable
containers require
a four-digit code
aligned from bottom to
top to open. When you
are done, you simply
replace the cap and mix
the numbers to lock the
bottle securely.
Talk with your children
Be honest with kids
about the dangers of
taking prescriptions.
Adjust your conversation
based on your
child’s age, stressing
that medications are
only meant for the
person the doctor prescribed
them for and
can be harmful to anyone
else. Tell them to
never take a medication
without checking
with you first and if
they find any pills or
bottles to bring them to
you right away.
Dispose of unneeded
medication properly
Check if your community
has a drug disposal
program for unneeded
medications.
Many pharmacies offer
take-back programs
as well to properly
dispose of unused prescriptions.
If nothing
is available near you,
dispose of medications
at home by mixing the
pills or capsules in a
container with an unappealing
substance
like dirt or cat litter
before placing in the
trash.
These steps will
help significantly reduce
the chances your
child will access your
medication. In case of
emergency, call poison
control immediately.
Program the poison
control center at 800-
222-1222 into your
home and cell phones.
You may want to add
this number on a sticky
note or other label in
your medicine storage
space as well.
— Courtesy of BPT
Prescription medications
have many benefits,
including managing
pain, regulating
chronic conditions,
preventing disease and
more. Despite numerous
positives, medications
can be dangerous
to others in your household,
especially kids.
As routines have
changed and people are
spending more time at
home, parents may be
unintentionally leaving
medications out
and accessible to children.
Babies and toddlers
may rattle medicine
bottles like a toy.
Curious kids may think
the contents inside are
candy. Child-resistant
caps aren’t enough,
as many children can
open them easily.
Every eight minutes
a child goes to an
emergency room for
medicine poisoning,
according to Safe Kids
Worldwide, and three
out of four ER visits
for medicine poisoning
are due to kids getting
H2168_MKT21-15 M File & Use 10022020
/NS.COM
