“Children are curious and can figure out how to reach even higher placed objects. Therefore, it is safest to keep medicines locked away or in a hard-to-open box. It is also important to explain to the child from an early age that medicines are not sweets and should not be taken by themselves,” says pharmacist Sigita Korbutaitė in a press release from “Gintarinė vaistinė.”
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The danger may await not only at home
Families with small children often take care to lock drawers and cabinets, but a safe environment at home does not mean that medicines can be forgotten about when visiting others. More attention should be paid to places where small children are not present daily, such as grandparents’ homes.
“When visiting grandparents or other relatives, we may find medicines on a cabinet, nightstand, or in a handbag. For a person who takes medicines daily, such a place may seem usual and convenient, but for a small child, the preparations become easily accessible. Therefore, medicines should be safely stored wherever children visit,” emphasizes the pharmacist.
The effect may appear only after several hours
According to S. Korbutaitė, special caution is needed when storing medicines that affect blood pressure and heart function, sedatives and sleeping pills, antidepressants, and stronger painkillers. An excessive amount of these can cause consciousness suppression, breathing difficulties, dangerous changes in blood pressure or heart rhythm in a small child.
“For some preparations, such as certain blood pressure medications or some diabetes medicines, even one or a few tablets can be very dangerous for a child. Therefore, one should not think that one tablet will do no harm. If it is unknown what medicine and how much the child may have swallowed, the situation should be taken seriously,” warns S. Korbutaitė.
Signs of poisoning can be very varied: nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, lethargy, or unusual behavior. In more severe cases, consciousness, breathing, or heart rhythm may be disturbed, seizures may begin. However, the pharmacist emphasizes that the severity of the situation cannot be judged solely by the child’s condition.
“The effect of some medicines may appear only after several or even many hours. For example, hypoglycemia can develop 8–18 hours after poisoning with some diabetes medicines, and the effect of extended-release cardiovascular drugs can also be delayed. Therefore, if it is suspected that a child may have swallowed medicine, one should not wait for symptoms to appear,” she explains.
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What to do if you suspect a child swallowed medicine?
In such a case, the most important thing is not to try to assess or resolve the situation independently. Even if the child feels well, S. Korbutaitė recommends immediately contacting specialists.
“If it is suspected that a child may have swallowed medicine, you should first call the Poison Information Bureau at +370 5 236 2052, where toxicologist doctors provide consultations around the clock. If the child’s condition worsens, becomes drowsy, loses consciousness, has seizures, or breathing is disturbed, call 112 immediately,” says the pharmacist.
Parents may want to quickly reduce the possible effect of the medicine – induce vomiting, give the child something to drink, eat, or activated charcoal. However, this should not be done independently.
“Until you have consulted with specialists, you should not induce vomiting or give water, milk, food, or activated charcoal on your own initiative. Activated charcoal can be used in some poisoning cases, but it should only be given if recommended by a specialist and after assessing what medicine and how much the child may have consumed,” notes S. Korbutaitė.
Poisoning with medicines in severe cases can cause life-threatening heart and respiratory disorders, coma, seizures, organ or brain damage, or even death. Therefore, according to the pharmacist, the most important thing is not only to respond properly when an accident occurs but also to ensure that the child cannot access medicines at all – both at home and when visiting relatives.
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