Published June 24, 2024
School is out and summer travel season is here. For many families, summer is a time to connect with grandparents and other family away from home. Parents and grandparents of young children should make sure that they are practicing safe medicine storage during times of travel, and always. If you are packing for a vacation, make sure medicine is packed safely away in your suitcase in child-resistant containers whenever possible. If you are visiting grandparents or other relatives, find a safe place in their home to keep your medicine, like a high cabinet or high closet shelf.
For grandparents expecting a visit from little ones, it is important to make sure all medicines, vitamins, and other supplements, including those in gummy form, are kept up and away and out of sight and reach. Take time to sweep or vacuum the floor before the grandkids arrive. It is easy for tablets or capsules to fall on the floor and roll out of sight where young children (or pets) could find them.
Grandparents: Click here to view a short video on how to make your home safe while your grandkids visit this summer.
Medicine Safety Tips for Traveling with Kids and Grandkids:
1. Keep all medicines out of sight and reach of children. Whether you are traveling with young children or if they are visiting, keep all medicines, vitamins, and other supplements, including those in gummy form, up and away and out of their sight and reach. Find a safe place to keep medicines like a high cabinet or high closet shelf. If you are in a hotel room, consider using the hotel room safe for safe storage.
2. Keep medicines in child-resistant containers. It may be tempting to transfer medicines to smaller containers for travel, but it is important to remember that containers such as pill organizers and baggies often lack the child safety features designed to prevent access by young children.
3. Ask the host where you can safely store your medicines. When you are a guest in someone else’s home, it is important to ensure your medicine is up and away, out of sight and reach of young children.
4. Save the Poison Help number (800-222-1222). Be sure to save the Poison Help number to your cell phone in case of an emergency. Consider sharing it with other family members, grandparents, and those traveling with you. Each poison control center is staffed with doctors, pharmacists, and toxicologists who can answer your questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Make sure you have this number handy!
