By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    improving patient experience
    6 Ways to Improve Patient Satisfaction Within Hospitals
    December 1, 2021
    degree for healthcare job
    What Are The Health Benefits Of Having A Degree?
    March 9, 2022
    custom software development is changing healthcare
    Digital Customer Journey Mapping and its Importance for Healthcare
    July 21, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Can Thinking Younger Make You Live Longer?
    April 20, 2011
    Image
    Obesity’s Outlook Unchanged
    June 13, 2011
    When It’s An Emergency Elderly Not Treated As Well in Hospitals
    July 16, 2011
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: More Kids than Ever Have Access To Leftover Medication
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Health > Medicare > More Kids than Ever Have Access To Leftover Medication
HealthMedicareParenting

More Kids than Ever Have Access To Leftover Medication

Families need to protect their children from accessing unused prescription drugs, which is a growing threat to their health and safety.

Aaron Casselman
Last updated: December 18, 2022 8:25 pm
Aaron Casselman
Share
6 Min Read
children have more access to unused prescription drugs than ever
Shutterstock Photo License - Bohbeh
SHARE

The Affordable Care Act tried to make it easier for people to gain access to medications and other essential healthcare services. Unfortunately, many children are struggling to get the medications that they need. Other families struggle with an equally dangerous risk – children having access to unused medications.

Contents
Families Must Protect their Children from Unused MedicationChildren’s Solutions: Understanding Dangers, Safe StorageConclusion: Addressing the Problem

A new poll has revealed that an alarming number of children are living in homes with unused prescription medication just lying around. This is significantly increasing the risks of children overdosing or otherwise suffering from ingesting these medications.

Families Must Protect their Children from Unused Medication

It comes during a time when the number of people suffering from prescription drug addiction and having to enter residential rehab is at an all time high among adults, and there’s a worry that it could well have a knock on effect to a younger generation, particularly of teen and student age if action isn’t taken.

There has been a rise in drug addiction and overdoses among young people across the world in recent years, particularly due to opioid abuse with a rising amount of people taking fentanyl, but with access to prescription drugs so easy, there is clearly an unnecessary health risk within the home too. Over 500,000 children under the age of five suffer from medication poisoning each year, which can lead to terrifying ER visits or death.

More Read

An Expert’s Guide To Building and Improving Endurance
Understanding Laser Treatment for Dark Circles Removal
Can Neurological Problems Be Cured or Only Managed?
Manage Your Health More Effectively With This Uncommon Advice
Strengthening Your Core: The Key to Reducing Slip-and-Fall Risks

The study, produced by the University of Michigan, found that over half of parents have leftover prescription medication lying around at home, while also finding that many parents keep out of date medication in the home.

Sarah Clark, who helped conduct the study said, “We found that it’s common for parents to keep medicines long after they are expired or no longer needed, which creates an unnecessary health risk for children.

“Younger children getting into medicine in the home is a major source of unintentional poisonings. For older children, access to these medicines brings risk of experimentation, diversion to peers, or other intentional misuse.”

This comes at a time when the warning signs are there for what addiction can do to the young, and the fact that around half of parents believe that over-the-counter medicine is less effective when it’s past its sell by date and they are less concerned about disposing of it compared to leftover prescription medication.

Alongside this, many parents are also unaware of how to dispose of it, which is one of the main reasons it is being left in cupboards for children to access and potentially experiment with and abuse.

Given the results of the study, the University of Michigan also released a number of pieces of helpful information to safeguard children from prescription and over-the-counter drugs, including:

  • Limit the amount of medicine you bring home and store at home.
  • Regularly check expiration dates of medication and remove once out-of-date
  • Safely dispose of medication to a collection site where possible
  • Lock medications away safely so they can’t be misused and regularly check on it.
  • Keep an inventory of what has been used by you/the adults in the house, or children when required.

You must take these steps to protect your children from the risks of medication poisoning. The consequences of neglecting to do so can be severe.

Children’s Solutions: Understanding Dangers, Safe Storage

With more and more children having access to leftover medication, it’s essential that parents understand the dangers associated with improper storage. Not only can children experience adverse reactions due to incorrect dosages, but they are also at risk of accidental poisoning or ingesting harmful substances. In this article, we’ve discussed how to assess the level of danger in your home, as well as safe storage solutions that can help keep kids away from dangerous medications. By understanding the risks involved and taking actionable steps towards safety, parents can eliminate the possibility of unfortunate accidents involving medication in their homes.

Conclusion: Addressing the Problem

The accessibility of leftover medications is a growing issue, and it is essential that parents and children alike are aware of the potential dangers that can be posed by these medications. Taking steps to prevent children from having access to these medications, such as properly disposing of them or storing them out of reach, can help reduce the risk associated with their use. Parents should also take time to educate themselves on the potential risks and symptoms associated with opioid misuse in children.

TAGGED:child healthchild safetyprescription drugs
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share
By Aaron Casselman
Aaron Casselman is a medical writer based in central Minnesota, specializing in bioinformatics. With my Master's Degree in bioinformatics, he brings unique insights into topics related to medicine and health.

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Health
May 15, 2025
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction heart treatment
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction
Cardiology
May 13, 2025

You Might also Like

workplace first aid
Health

First Aid Training Can Improve Workplace Health & Safety

June 23, 2024
eHealthHealth careMedical EducationMedical EthicsParenting

Vaping Health Risks Raise Alarm About Educating Younger Generations

February 11, 2020
How to Take Advantage of Open Enrollment in Medicare
Medicare

How to Take Advantage of Open Enrollment in Medicare

November 24, 2022
What Type of Doctors Are Best for Men?
Health

What Type of Doctors Are Best for Men?

October 6, 2022
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?