Keeping Medications Safe Around Children

The overlooked sources: adult medications and visitors

Parents often focus on securing their children's medications while the most common source of childhood medication poisoning is adult medications stored in accessible places 1Ref 1American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP Councils on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention) (2025).Medication Safety Tips for Families.~50,000 children under 5 visit EDs annually for medication poisoning; even a pill or two of some adult medications can be deadly to a young child; guidance on locked storage, gummy vitamins as a hazard, and visitor purses; last updated November 2025. Purses and bags are a particularly common and often-overlooked hazard: a visiting grandparent, relative, or babysitter may carry medications in a bag left on the floor or a low table. Iron supplements, blood pressure medications, sleeping aids, and diabetes medications are among the products that can cause serious harm to a young child in small doses — sometimes just a pill or two 1Ref 1American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP Councils on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention) (2025).Medication Safety Tips for Families.~50,000 children under 5 visit EDs annually for medication poisoning; even a pill or two of some adult medications can be deadly to a young child; guidance on locked storage, gummy vitamins as a hazard, and visitor purses; last updated November 2025. A standing household rule — all bags and purses stored out of reach on arrival — is practical and effective.

What counts as a medication

For storage purposes, "medication" should be interpreted broadly: prescription medications, over-the-counter medications (including pain relievers, cold medications, antihistamines, and topical products), vitamins and supplements, herbal preparations, eye drops, and any other product intended for physiological effect 1Ref 1American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP Councils on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention) (2025).Medication Safety Tips for Families.~50,000 children under 5 visit EDs annually for medication poisoning; even a pill or two of some adult medications can be deadly to a young child; guidance on locked storage, gummy vitamins as a hazard, and visitor purses; last updated November 2025. Gummy vitamins and children's chewable medications are especially tempting because they taste and look like candy — they should be stored as carefully as adult medications.

Storage that actually works

Child-resistant packaging slows access but is not child-proof, especially for older toddlers. The most reliable storage approaches 1Ref 1American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP Councils on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention) (2025).Medication Safety Tips for Families.~50,000 children under 5 visit EDs annually for medication poisoning; even a pill or two of some adult medications can be deadly to a young child; guidance on locked storage, gummy vitamins as a hazard, and visitor purses; last updated November 2025:

• A locked box or cabinet, with the key or code inaccessible to children
• High shelves, out of sight — children are motivated to access things they can see
• Not in a purse or bag at floor level
• Not on a nightstand, bathroom counter, or kitchen counter
• Not in a pill organizer left accessible — pill organizers are not child-resistant

After use, medications should be immediately returned to locked storage rather than left out.

Giving medications safely

Dosing errors — too much, given too frequently, or the wrong product — are a separate and common medication safety concern 2Ref 2American Academy of Pediatrics (2023).Ways to Prevent Children's Medication Errors at Home: AAP Policy.AAP guidance on dosing errors (use calibrated oral syringe not kitchen spoons), weight-based dosing confirmation, and safe disposal methods including medication take-back programs. Using the measuring device that comes with a liquid medication (a calibrated oral syringe or dosing cup) rather than a household spoon reduces dosing errors — kitchen teaspoons and tablespoons vary significantly in volume. Confirming the weight-based dose with a pediatric provider before giving any new medication, even over-the-counter products, is a reliable practice.

Safe disposal of unused medications

Unused medications left in the home increase the risk of accidental ingestion over time. Many pharmacies and hospitals participate in medication take-back programs, which are the recommended disposal method 2Ref 2American Academy of Pediatrics (2023).Ways to Prevent Children's Medication Errors at Home: AAP Policy.AAP guidance on dosing errors (use calibrated oral syringe not kitchen spoons), weight-based dosing confirmation, and safe disposal methods including medication take-back programs. When take-back is not available, mixing medications with an unpalatable substance (used coffee grounds, dirt, or cat litter) in a sealed bag before disposal in household trash, and removing personal information from prescription labels, are the next-best approach. The FDA maintains a list of specific medications recommended for flushing due to high abuse or harm potential.