It is terrifying for parents when their children swallow pills while playing. Then quick action is required, but there are a few things you should absolutely not do.
If the children are not watched, it happens quickly—they take medication that they should never take. But what if you take your grandmother’s heart pills? And what else?
Child takes pills: what to do and what not to do
Parents should be aware that their children may be taking medications they shouldn’t be taking, even if they are visiting in public. This is especially important if the child is taking heart medications, pain relievers, thyroid medication, or other medications. Parents should also be aware of the consequences of leaving medication out in the open.
The issue rarely arises when children play in the room for a while or when you lie on the sofa while the child next to you is busy on the play mat. Unexpected events—the postman rings, a bird smacks the window, or something breaks—are more problematic. As the Children’s Health Foundation emphasises, you are then briefly distracted against your will.
Not only are careless moments vulnerable, but non-childproof households can also be a problem. einsteineruploaded with. While it is possible to keep cleaning supplies out of reach, all possibilities are frequently overlooked.
There are traps everywhere, and the Children’s Health Foundation says that a lot of the 220,000 calls the Poisons Information Center gets each year are from parents whose young children accidentally ate medicine.
child takes medication: do not induce vomiting.
The Children’s Health Foundation recommends not trying to make a child vomit a pill. Instead, they should drink water, juice, or tea to dilute the drug and reduce its effects. Additionally, they should wash their mouths to rinse out any residue of the pill.
Don’t give milk to drink
What you should definitely not do: give the child milk to drink. If they have taken pills that were not intended for them, milk may speed up the absorption of the active substances in the intestine.
Child has swallowed a pill: “home remedy” salt water is taboo
Salt water is frequently recommended as a supposed home remedy for medication taken incorrectly. According to the Children’s Health Foundation, giving salt water to children can cause an electrolyte imbalance and even life-threatening sodium poisoning. As a result, never give your child salt water to drink.
Tip to avoid child accidentally taking pills
The Children’s Health Foundation has a tip to prevent children from taking pills they shouldn’t be taking. Parents should avoid trivializing medication, such as selling pills as “candy”, “sweets”, “treats” or “drops”. Grandparents should also be aware of the risk of catching potentially more dangerous drugs due to their older age.
Child accidentally takes medication: call the poison control center!
The most important details are that it is important to call the poison control center if a child has been taking medications they shouldn’t be taking, even if it doesn’t seem like a serious matter. The app “BfR Poisoning Emergencies” from the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) can help you find out the exact number of the right poison emergency number for your area.
At the poison control center, questions such as the exact name of the drug, how many tablets the child has taken, age, weight and any symptoms are asked. Most medications are not life-threatening, but it is important to seek medical advice if there are medications that can be dangerous for the child. It is important to call the poison control center whenever an incident occurs so that you know what can happen, what the symptoms look like after the child accidentally ingests them, and how to keep an eye on them.
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