One Wrong Dose Can Cause Serious Harm, No Matter Your Age

Danielle Bartsche is a Public Health Education Specialist at the New Jersey Poison Control Center at Rutgers who discusses practical ways families can prevent accidental poisoning and dangerous dosing errors.

Medication safety is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of home wellness. The U.S. poison centers gets nearly 2.1 million human exposure calls per year. Even a single mistake involving prescription or over-the-counter drugs can have severe consequences. Taking just a single wrong pill, no matter the age, can cause serious harm. Many medication mishaps stem from routine habits, such as accidentally taking a double dose, confusing look-alike or sound-alike medications, or transferring pills out of their original containers. There are many ways accidents can happen that can lead to threatening results.

Using improper measuring tools for liquid medications is another frequent mistake. Kitchen spoons or uncalibrated cups can easily lead to inaccurate dosages, making it crucial to always rely on a dosing syringe or cups supplied with the medication.

Preventing accidents begins with establishing a secure, personalized storage routine. Medication should remain in its original packaging with safety labels intact. Additionally, storage solutions should be tailored to the specific needs and capabilities of household members, taking into consideration factors such as vision, mobility, and memory to ensure drugs are accessible only to those intended to take them.

For more information on safe storage practices or to seek immediate guidance in an emergency, visit njpoisoncenter.org or contact the Poison Help Hotline at 1-800-222-1222.