Put your medicines Up and Away and out of sight
More than 60,000 young children end up in emergency departments every year because they got into medicines while their parent or caregiver was not looking.
1 Pick a place your children cannot reach.
Any kind of medicine or vitamin can cause harm if taken in the wrong way, even medicine you can buy without a prescription. Walk around your house and find a storage place too high for a child to reach or see.
2 Put medicines away every time.
Never leave them out on a kitchen counter or at a sick child’s bedside, even if you have to give the medicine again in a few hours. Always put every medicine and vitamin away every time you use it, including those you use every day.
Watch to
learn more. 1:10
3 Make sure the
safety cap is locked.
Always relock the safety cap on a medicine bottle. If the medicine has a locking cap that turns, twist it until you hear the click or you cannot twist anymore. Remember, even though many medicines and vitamins have safety caps, children may be able to open them. Always store every medicine and vitamin up and away and out of children’s sight.
4 Teach your children
about medicine
safety.
Tell your children what medicine is and why you must be the one to give it to them. Never tell children medicine is candy to get them to take it, even if your child does not like to take his or her medicine.
5 Tell guests about medicine safety.
Ask houseguests and visitors to keep purses, bags, or coats that have medicines in them up and away and out of sight when they are in your home.
You can also share this important information with your friends and family by taking and sharing our pledge or sharing this site with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.
Please Share.
6 Be prepared in case of an emergency.
Call your Poison Help center at (800) 222-1222 right away if you think your child might have gotten into a medicine or vitamin. Program the number into your home and cell phones so you will have it when you need it.
About Up and Away and Out of Sight
Families take medicines and vitamins to feel well or stay well. Any kind of medicine or vitamin can cause harm if taken in the wrong way, even medicine you buy without a prescription.
Up and Away and Out of Sight is an educational program to remind families of the importance of safe medicine storage. It is an initiative of PROTECT, in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association Educational Foundation and the following organizations:
Government Agencies
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
National Partners
American Association of Poison Control Centers
Children's Safety Network
Institute for Safe Medication Practices
National Consumers League
National Council on Patient Information and Education
National Safety Council
Poison Prevention Week Council
Safe Kids
Program Partners
American Academy of Family Physicians
American College of Preventive Medicine
Academic Pediatric Association
Safe States Alliance
For partner materials click here.
Take the pledge
Each year, more than 60,000 children end up in emergency departments because they got into medicines while their parent or caregiver was not looking. Together, we can work to keep our children safe. Please take our pledge to keep medicines up and away and out of sight in your home. When you finish, share it with your friends and family. Thank you for taking this important step!
I pledge to:
- Pick a place high up and out of sight that my child cannot reach where I can safely store my medicines and vitamins.
- Always put every medicine and vitamin away every time I use it, including those I use every day.
- Always re-lock the safety cap on a medicine bottle.
- If the medicine has a locking cap that turns, I will twist it until I hear the click.
- Teach my children about medicine safety.
- Tell guests, friends and family about medicine safety and ask when they visit my home to keep their medicines up and away and out of sight.
- Program my Poison Help center’s number in my phone: 800.222.1222.