Healthier Together is sponsored by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah.
Every ten minutes in America a child is rushed to the emergency room due to an accidental ingestion of prescription medicine.
It’s something that affects tens of thousands of families, and it's completely preventable.
Dr. Mike Woodruff, Executive Medical Director for Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah said, “You know, children and curious and they love to explore. And that means they will find your medications. That can be very dangerous.”
Woodruff said when it comes to prescription safety and kids – we should all be concerned.
“In 2019, about 52-thousand kids under the age of 6 went to the ER because of medication poisoning. And that’s about 1 every 10 minutes.”
In Utah, kids aged 1-4 had a significantly higher rate of emergency department visits for drug poisoning – nearly 75-percent higher than the overall population.
Heart medication and painkillers are especially lethal, but it’s not just prescription drugs.
“There’s over the counter pain medication, like Tylenol and Ibuprofen, and cold and flu medications. Even vitamins can be dangerous for young kids,” said Woodruff.
Woodruff said to make an effort to store all medicines out of reach and out of site. Don’t forget that kids can open drawers and purses.
“You might think that the child resistant containers are going to keep your kids safe, but those are designed to keep 80% under the age of 5 out of those bottles for 10 minutes – that’s the standard,” said Woodruff.
He advises that we talk to our kids about medications and their dangers, along with being responsible about disposing any unused drugs you may have in your medicine cabinet.
“You can take them to a pharmacy or police station or other sites you can look up online to safely dispose of medications,” said Woodruff.
Adding that older adults – particularly those with memory loss – are also at risk.
Woodruff noted that CBD and THC, now legal in Utah, can also be harmful.
“Especially because those often come in a gummy form that looks just like candy,” he said.
He said in recent years, the number of THC overdoses has increased by well over 1,000%.
He said, “if you do see symptoms, you’re going to have to act quickly.”
Symptoms include vomiting, abdominal pain, changes in coordination and even breathing problems. Additionally, with THC, you'll also see drowsiness or rapid heart rate, loss of balance and more.
“Even if you don’t see symptoms and you’re concerned that your loved one may have taken some inappropriate medications, call the Utah Poison Center,” said Woodruff.
That number is 1-800-222-1222, and they’re open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.