Boulder County parents and caregivers care about their kids. They show it by keeping marijuana, prescriptions, and alcohol out of reach.
Whatever it is – dishwasher pods, drain cleaner, even gluten – we keep it away from our kids if we know it can hurt them. Marijuana, alcohol, and prescriptions drugs can be dangerous too!
The Risk
In Colorado, more than 1,200 young children are brought to the emergency room each year because they got into marijuana, medicines, and alcohol that were left within reach. Over 70% of the visits are due to ingesting pharmaceutical drugs (including over-the-counter drugs). [Emergency department visits in Colorado hospitals that mention accidental poisoning. Colorado residents younger than six years of age, treated and released between January 2014 – September 2015.]
Unintentional Overdose
Among young children:
- 95% of unintentional medication overdose visits to emergency departments are caused by a child ingesting medication while unsupervised.
- Only about 5% are due to dosing errors made by caregivers.
- National Child Poisoning Report
Young Children
A national study of calls to poison control centers from January 2000 through December 2015 found that:
- Most poisonings occurred among children younger than five years of age (60%) followed by teenagers (30%).
- Medications leading to the most calls to poison control centers were hydrocodone (29%), oxycodone (18%), and codeine (17%).
Older Kids
Among teenagers:
- More than two-thirds of poisonings were due to intentional use (not accidental ingestion).
- Nearly 70% of teenagers that use prescription medication without a prescription get them from friends or family.
- Study shows US poison control centers receive 32 calls per day about children exposed to prescription opioids
