A medication overdose can happen to anyone. Due to the small size and weight of children, kids can suffer overdose errors easier than adults. In fact, research states that every year, over 600,000 children receive emergency room treatment due to overdoses. While many of these accidents occur when children access pill bottles without supervision, other accidents occur when too much medication is mistakenly administered to children.
To avoid accidental medication overdose in your child, consider the four tips listed below.
The Top Four Tips To Avoid Accidental Medication Overdose in Your Child
1. Keep Medications in Hard-to-Reach Places
Prescription and over-the-counter drugs should be kept in high or hidden places and only given to a child by the parent or a trustworthy adult.
2. Examine Labels Extensively
Most bottles of medication have a label attached, which includes information regarding how often the person should consume the drug, the amount that should be taken, warnings, and any special directions such as, “Take after eating.” These directions and warnings can be crucial to a child’s safety.
3. Never give young children adult medications unless instructed to do so.
A baby’s or young toddler’s bodily systems are weaker than those of an adult. For this reason, medications designed for adult consumption can be extremely dangerous to young children. To keep your child safe, never give your child or baby adult medication, even if the labels state it is okay, unless an experienced physician gives you the okay.
4. Do not give babies or toddlers under the age of four any medications unless a doctor instructs you to do so.
Babies and toddlers under the age of four should not be given any kind of medication, even if they are labeled as children’s medicine. Instead, consult a doctor on what medication, if any at all, is appropriate for your child’s conditions. Unfortunately, every year, many toddlers and babies receive medical attention due to overdoses after consuming children’s medication.
What Happens When the Doctor is Responsible?
At The Law Offices of Dr. Michael M. Wilson M.D., J.D. & Associates, our team truly cares about the well-being and safety of you and your family. We understand how stressful life can be when a child is suffering from any harm or pain and are ready to represent you in any case. If you believe your child has suffered a medical overdose due to a negligent or inexperienced doctor’s written prescription, contact our Washington, D.C. medical malpractice attorneys today. We provide aggressive and educated representation for every single one of our clients.
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Dr. Michael M. Wilson is an attorney and a physician who earned his undergraduate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his legal and medical degrees from Georgetown University. He has focused in the area of medical malpractice for more than three decades and secured more than $100 million in settlements and verdicts on behalf of clients throughout the country. He is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and New York as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and the U.S. Supreme Court. He is listed in America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators.
