Calling Mr. Yuk
More than 70,000 kids each year in the U.S. are treated in emergency room for unintentional medication overdoses -- 80 percent of them from unsupervised ingestion of drugs. Many are getting sick after they get their hands on commonly available over-the-counter medications. The four most frequent culprits: acetaminophen (Tylenol), cough and cold medicine, antidepressants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Ibuprofen).
The rate of hospitalizations for medication overdoses, according to the study in this month's American Journal of Preventive Medicine, was four times that for poisonings from non-pharmaceutical products like cleaning sprays, pesticides and shampoos.
"The high frequency of medication usage and the rising number of medications stored in American homes increases the potential for medication overdoses ... especially among children," write the study's authors, who are from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The number of pediatric medication poisonings in the U.S. could be even higher because the data only included those who were taken to the hospital, not those who called poison control centers or went to the pediatrician.
The numbers, to me, are pretty shocking, so let me throw in one more: One out of every 180 2-year-olds is treated in an ER for medication overdose. This is despite education campaigns and allegedly child-resistant packaging available on most medication.
As I write this, I keep thinking about the leftover vitamins and pain relievers from my recent vacation just sitting out on my dresser while the cleaning products are guarded behind child safety locks or are on shelves so high I can barely reach them.
The authors call the whole thing a "substantial public health burden" and think prevention efforts need to be redoubled.
