MEDICATIONS
POISON PREVENTION TIPS
_____________________________________________________________________
POISON HAZARDS
Watch a 30-second video
from the U. S. Department of
Health Resources and
Service Administration
(HRSA) related to:
Sometimes exposures to medications are unintentional or accidental
in nature. These types of medications errors are usually when:
• the wrong medication was taken or given to someone else
• a medicine was mistakenly taken or given twice
• a medicine was given to the wrong person
• a child gets into someone’s medication
Pills are bright colors and can often attract young children.
Pills can look like candy to children.
Sweet tasting jelly beans are shown on the
left.
A variety of prescription and non-prescription
medications are pictured on the right.
In 2008, unintentional medication errors accounted for 10.5% of the total exposure calls to
the Alabama Poison Center.
Sometimes medication exposures can be managed at home, but sometimes medical
treatment in the Emergency Room is essential to prevent complications, which could be
life threatening.
Poison Specialists are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you
in determining the appropriate treatment.
Don’t hesitate to call and don’t wait for symptoms to occur.
CALL 1-800-222-1222
Many calls to Poison Centers are about medications -
identifying a medication or asking what to do if too much medicine has been taken.
Of all exposure calls to Poison Centers nationwide,
more than two-thirds were related to medications.
Intentionally overdosing on prescription medications, non-prescription
medications or illegal drugs is an all too frequent call to Poison Centers.
Intentional medication overdose occurs in people from preteen to older adults.
• Children as
young as 12
have been
reported to take
too much
medicine - often
as an attention-
getting device.
• Purchasing prescription
medications or illegal drugs from
peers or drug dealers is not
difficult for drug-seeking
individuals.
• Teenagers and
young adults may
take too much
medicine in an
attempt to get
‘high’.
• Individuals may take
medication overdoses in an
attempt to harm themselves
or as a suicide attempt when
depressed.
• Know the names of all your medicines, the reasons you are taking them, and their side
effects.
• Let your doctor know about over-the-counter medicines and diet aids that you are taking.
• Take your medication only as directed.
• If your teenagers is acting different or has a sudden change in behavior, try to determine the
cause. Be aware that medication use can cause behavior changes.
• If you or someone you know is depressed, seek medical attention.
If someone is unconscious or not breathing, call 911 immediately.
If someone has taken an overdose, don’t wait for symptoms to occur.
Call the Poison Center at
CALL 1-800-222-1222
• Make sure that you keep
your medicines out of the
reach of small children.
Keeping medicines in a
locked area is the best
practice.
• Clean out your medicine
cabinet often.
• Read the medication
label carefully
EVERY TIME
before taking or
giving medication.
• Keep all medicines in their
original container - even when
traveling.
• Ask for ‘safety’ tops on all
prescription medications.
• Do not mix different
medications into a
single bottle.
• NEVER keep medicines
on the counter or by the
bedside.
• When measuring liquid
medicines, use the measuring
device that came with the
medicine.
• Never take or give
medicine in the dark.
• Don’t confuse
teaspoons and
tablespoons or
teaspoons and
milliliters (ml).
• Be aware that not
all measuring
devices are the
same. There are
different measuring
devices designed
to measure
different amounts.
1 Tablespoon = 3 Teaspoons
1 Teaspoon = 5 Milliliters (ml)
If you have questions or concerns about a medicine or
if someone has taken too much medicine,
call the Poison Center.
1-800-222-1222
The Alabama Poison Center I 2503 Phoenix Drive I Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 I FAX 205-345-7189
