As your princesses and little superheroes start their Halloween fun, safety experts have a major warning: Put your medications away to keep them safe.
Channel 2’s Linda Stouffer spoke with an expert from Georgia Poison Control about how bad the problems is and why this is such as busy time of the year at Poison Control.
Dr. Gaylord Lopez, with Georgia Poison Control, showed Stouffer some similar over-the-counter medicines.
“This time of year, with so much colorful candy, experts worry about children getting confused,” Lopez said. “What do you think this candy is? These are Tic Tacs, and this is an adult sleep drug.”
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Lopez is especially worried about serious prescriptions sized for an adult, like blood pressure medicine.
“One of these pills could actually kill a child,” Lopez said. “There are pills used in diabetes- one pill could kill (a child).”
Lopez also says children under the age of 5 are most at risk for candy confusion.
He’s working to spread awareness as part of a new effort to remind parents and grandparent to put pills “up” and away and close the bottles tight.
Parents and grandparents should also watch out for look-a-likes, like mint gum and nicotine.
“A third of a cigarette just in one piece of gum, and they look the same,” Lopez said. “A kid could have tremors or seizures. It could be pretty bad news.”
If that happens, call for help right away.
Cox Media Group
