Keep medicines out of reach | Health

Medicines and vitamins help families feel well and stay well, but children are curious; to keep them safe, parents and caregivers must practice safe medicine storage.

All medicines and vitamins should always be kept up and away and out of your child's reach and sight - every time they are used.

Each year, one of every 150 two-year-olds visits an emergency department in the United States for an unintentional medication overdose, most often after finding and eating or drinking medicines without adult supervision. The following tips can help:

Store medicines in a safe location that is too high for young children to reach or see.

Never leave medicine or vitamins out on a kitchen counter or at a sick child's bedside, even if you have to give the medicine again in a few hours.

Always relock the safety cap on a medicine bottle. If it has a locking cap that turns, twist it until you hear the click.

Tell children what medicine is and why you must be the one to give it to them.

Never tell children medicine is candy so they'll take it, even if your child does not like to take his or her medicine.

Remind babysitters, houseguests, and visitors to keep purses, bags, or coats that have medicines in them up and away and out of sight when they are in your home.

Program the poison control center number 1-800-222-1222 into your home and cell phones so you will have it when you need it.

~CDC December 2011