Tips for Safe Medicine Storage

Tips for Safe Medicine Storage

Thousands of young children end up in emergency departments every year after getting into medicines while their parents or caregivers are not looking.
Unfortunately, accidental ingestion’s don’t take a vacation.

It’s important for parents to always keep medicines and vitamins Up and Away and Out of Sight at home, and also when families are away from their homes and staying in hotels or as guests in others’ homes.

When traveling, remember these five simple tips for safely storing medicines while on-the-go:

1. When packing for a trip, keep your medicines in their original child-resistant containers. Other containers, such as pill organizers and baggies, often lack child safety features and can be easily accessed by young children.
2. While staying in a hotel, secure your medicines and vitamins in a location that your children cannot see or reach, such as a high cabinet or passcode-protected hotel room safe.
3. As a guest in another person’s home, do not be shy about asking them where to put your medicines and vitamins so they are out of the sight and reach of children.
4. Remember to never leave medicine or vitamins out on a table, countertop, or bedside table where your children could reach them no matter where you are – always make sure the caps are locked and put them away every time they are used.
5. Program the national Poison Help number, 1-800-222-1222, along with other emergency contact numbers into your cell phone, so they are available in case of an emergency.

For more tools and information, visit UpandAway.org.