Circumstances Involved in Unsupervised Solid Dose Medication Exposures among Young Children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Safety
• Toxicology
• Public Health

Background:

• Unsupervised pediatric medication exposures remain a significant safety concern.
• Solid dose medications (SDMs) pose a risk when accessed by young children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify container types involved in unsupervised pediatric SDM exposures.
• To determine the intended recipients of medications accessed by children.
• To inform prevention strategies for medication safety in children.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study conducted across 5 US poison centers from February to September 2017.
• Inrolled individuals reporting unsupervised SDM exposures in children aged 5 years or younger.
• Participants completed questionnaires on exposure circumstances.

Main Results:

• Over 70% of exposures involved children aged 2 years or younger.
• Prescription medications were accessed from original packaging more often than over-the-counter (OTC) products.
• Medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and opioids were often found outside any container.
• Grandparents' medications were frequently involved in prescription SDM exposures.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric SDM exposures often involve medications removed from child-resistant packaging by adults.
• Prevention strategies should address adult medication handling and storage practices.
• Targeted educational messages and packaging innovations are needed to enhance child safety.