It
is very important to keep any medicines or tablets in your house out of the reach of children. You can prevent accidents and overdoses by keeping medicine in a safe place, where children cannot see or reach them.
It is also important to keep any medicines or tablets out of the reach of older children and teenagers as they may use them for recreational party drugs. Talk to your older children and teenagers about the dangers of drugs and medicines in the home - they may not realise they could be harmful - and how to say "No" when others try to encourage their use.
Keeping medicines and tablets in a safe, secure place is very important. Follow the checklist below to make sure the medicines and tablets in your house are safe.
What To Do If Your Child Has Taken Your Medication
If you think your child has taken an overdose act fast. Call 999 for an ambulance or go to your nearest A&E department.
Take the medication container (and any remaining contents) with you, so the doctor knows what the child or person has taken.
Do not try and make them sick – this may make things worse and if the person is unconscious, lie them on their side to make their breathing easier and to help stop them inhaling vomit if they are sick.
Talking To Your Child About Medicines, Tablets And Drugs
Many children who have abused prescription drugs have never been educated about the dangers of them by their parents or carers. Having a simple conversation about the effects of abusing prescription drugs with your children is one of the best preventative measures you can take. Other things to do include:
Safely Dispose Of Old Medicines Or Tablets
Safely discard of all unused medications. Read the medicine label for safe ways to get rid of old or extra medicine and read the guide below.
If you think your child has taken an overdose act fast. Call 999 for an ambulance or go to your nearest A&E department.
If you cannot make voice calls, you can now contact the 999 emergency services by SMS text from your mobile phone. Emergency SMS is part of the standard 999 service which has been designed specifically for people with hearing loss or difficulty with speech.
You can contact the Healthy Child Service team by calling Just One Number on 0300 300 0123 or texting Parentline on 07520631590. Our opening hours are 8am-6pm Monday-Friday (excluding bank holidays) and 9am-1pm on Saturdays.
You can speak to other Norfolk parents and carers by clicking our online community forum below.
