Republished November 11, 2024
Liquid medicines, especially those needed for small children and pets, are often measured using oral syringes. Sometimes, there is a device that comes with the syringe called an adapter. This devices is inserted into the opening of the bottle which allows the oral syringe to directly attach to the bottle. This eliminates the step of pouring the liquid medicine into a cup to withdrawal into an oral syringe. Using a bottle adapter is a convenient way to accurately measure and administer liquid medicines. However, depending on the actual product, parents should be aware the adapters are not always childproof.
We received an error report about the dangers of not removing the bottle adapter after use. In the report, a little boy was taking the prescription medicine flecainide to treat a serious heart condition. The medicine helped control his heart rate, allowing it to beat normally. A pharmacy prepared the liquid medicine and dispensed it in a prescription bottle with a childproof cap.
The pharmacy gave the family an oral syringe and bottle adapter to use to help measure the correct dose of medicine. After using the adapter with the syringe, the family did not remove it from the medicine bottle to replace it with the childproof cap. One evening the family saw their child coming up the stairs with a nearly empty bottle of the medicine in hand. Somehow, when the child went into the refrigerator to get a juice bottle, he instead picked up the medicine bottle and was able to get at the medicine and drink most of it. The child was taken to a local hospital for treatment of a severe overdose and then later transferred to a children's hospital for further care.
The syringe adapter used by the family did not contain a safety mechanism to stop the liquid from coming out of the bottle and it also could easily be removed by a small child. Therefore, the child was able to drink the contents.
Here's what you can do: If you are using a bottle adapter and oral syringe, never store the bottle with the adapter still in place. Be sure to remove it after every use and immediately replace the container with a childproof cap. Store all medicines up and away and out of reach of children. Teach young children never to take medicine on their own. Always make sure an adult is with them and gives them their medicine.
