Children misuse drugs to cause poisoning?

Written by : Dr. Chiu Cheung Shing

During the epidemic, many parents are stocking up on medication at home, fearing that their family members or children will be infected and unable to go out to buy medication. However, if the medication is not stored properly, it is possible for children to be poisoned by taking the medication by mistake. A parent asked me, ” I have a friend’s child once took the medicine by himself and it caused poisoning, it’s terrible! What should parents do if their children are unfortunately poisoned by drugs? “

In fact, the most common route of poisoning for children is through the mouth, but some are through the respiratory tract, skin or injection. If a child has food poisoning or drug poisoning, it depends on what kind of food or drug was consumed. If it is something that burns (such as vinegar or alkaline food), the child’s reaction will be an immediate sore throat and ulcers, and he will feel very uncomfortable. However, if the wrong medication is taken in general, the child may not have an immediate reaction, but when the medication enters the stomach and starts to be absorbed, the body will start to react.

The reaction of children depends on the type of medication. For example, if he is taking a nasal medication, his reaction will usually be sleepy and drowsy; if it is a tracheal medication, his heartbeat will become faster. Some medications can cause stomach discomfort, belly pain, diarrhea, and even vomiting. If parents see something like this, they can hold the child’s head down and pat him on the back, hoping to cough up or vomit before the child swallows it completely.

If the medication has already entered the stomach, parents may not be able to help the child! Parents should not reach for their child’s throat, as this can easily choke the medication into the airway. The right thing to do is to seek medical help as soon as possible. Parents should also remember to bring along what you suspect your child may have taken wrong before going to the doctor, so that the doctor can prescribe the right medication.
 
Here are some ways to prevent your child from taking medication incorrectly.
 
1.     Store medications properly and keep them out of reach of children.
 
2.     Have a safety cap on the medication (i.e., it needs to be pressed or twisted open)
 
3.      If there are older children, parents should teach them about the dangers of medications, such as not taking them recklessly or even feeding them to others.
error: Content is protected !!