Chemical and Medicine Information

Facts and Figures

Ever year 37,000 children under the age of 14 go to hospital suspected of swallowing something harmful. The vast majority of these children are under five years old.

Medicines account for almost half the cases overall and are particularly important for children between 2 and 4. Household chemicals account for 1 in 5 cases and are particularly prominent amoung very young children.

The overall rate of poisonings by solid and liquids steadily goes down with age up to 9 and then shows an increase in the 10 to 14 age band. This is due to poisoning by alcohol which accounts for 41% of cases in this band as young teenagers begin to experiment with drinking.

For non-fatal cases, the vulnerable groups are infants and toddlers, and with the group 1 - 3 year olds are particularly at risk - becoming increasingly mobile and exploratory but have not yet learnt what is not safe.

General Tips and Advice

Keep ALL medicines and chemicals well out of reach and out of sight of young children - this could be a high cupboard or a cupboard fitted with a child resistant catch, a lockable medicine cabinet or even a locked suitcase.

Look for bottles with child resistant caps when buying medicines. Keep the caps on bottles and put medicines away immediately after use.
Keep all medicines in their original containers.
Tablets in packs or brightly coloured tablets are especially tempting to children.
Don't count out your tablets for the day and then leave them lying around.
Take your medicine when your child isn't around so they don't try to copy you.
Teach your child about the safe use of medicines and never pretend they are sweets.
Take left over medicines to your local chemist for them to dispose of safely
Be especially careful when visiting relatives or friends - they may not follow your safety rules.

In particular:

Don't keep them in the fridge - 'Keep Cool' usually means 'keep away from warm places like beside radiators or in direct sunlight'. If a medicine should be kept in the fridge it will say so. If it does, keep it as high up and hidden as possible.

Storing household chemicals and products

Store all household chemicals and cleaning products out of sight and in cupboards with child resistant catches. Keep them high up and out of reach - never store them under the sink or on the floor by the toilet.
Keep all chemical like paint, white spirit, oil for the car, weed-killers and pesticides high up out of reach and out of sight.
Fit a padlock to the cupboard, shed or garage where they are kept.

Household hazards to be aware of:

Tablets and liquids including aspirins, paracetomol, sleeping pills, vitamins and iron tablets
Household, garden and DIY chemicals. Everyday products such as bleach, dishwater detergent, cleaning fluids and kettle descaler can cause severe burns to the mouth, throat and stomach and may also be poisonous. Glues and solvents are also harmful if they are 'sniffed' or swallowed.
Plants - Some house and garden plants can cause rashes, sickness and stomach pains.
Cosmetics, Nail varnish and its remover should be kept away from children.
Alcohol can be very poisonous even in very small amounts.
Cigarettes and cigarette ends and recreational drugs can be very toxic if eaten.
Aromatherapy - Oils are often dangerous in very small amounts.

First Aid Advice

If you think your child has swallowed something harmful:

For Medicines

DO Check if the child really took the medicine - if it's tablets, look on the floor and round about. It may be a false alarm.
DO find the bottle or a sample tablet
DO get advice from your pharmacist, doctor, NHS Direct (tel: 0845 4647) or accident & emergency department at your local hospital.
DON'T give your child salt water to make them sick

For Chemicals

DO find the bottle or packet and take it with you if you go to hospital
DO get advice from your pharmacist, doctor, NHS direct (tel: 0845 4647) or accident & emergency department at your local hospital.
DON'T give the child anything to drink - just wet their lips with cold water if they are burning.
DON'T try to make the child sick - their vomit will cause damage if it goes into the lungs
If the child is unconscious or there is buring to the mouth, dial 999 immediately to call an ambulance.

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