Child-resistant tops
3 in 4 parents of children under 5 mistakenly think that child safety tops make medicines and toxic cleaning products child-proof. The truth is they slow children down, but some 3-4 year olds can open them in seconds.
Action: Please keep these bottles out of reach or access for your children.
Medicines
Over the counter painkillers and other medicines are the most common way for young children to be poisoned. Keep all your medicines out of sight and reach of children.
- Don’t leave your handbag with medicines on the floor. Watch out for visitors doing this too.
- When you’re trying to persuade a reluctant toddler to take their medicine, never pretend that it’s a sweet.
Action: Please keep these bottles out of reach or access for your children and never pretend it to be a sweet!
Cleaning products
- Cleaning products and liquitabs can be very dangerous if children swallow them or bite into them. They are particularly attractive because of their bright colours. Keep them out of reach, preferably on a high shelf or in a cupboard with a child-resistant lock.
- Don’t leave bleach and toilet cleaner beside the toilet, or liquitabs under the kitchen sink in an unlocked cupboard.
- Look for cleaning products that contain a bittering agent such as Bitrex ® - this makes them taste really horrible so children will spit them out.
Be safe! Be sound!
