In an effort to decrease the number of accidental deaths and near deaths in children due to drug ingestion, the Philadelphia Department of Human Services, in partnership with DBHIDS and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health have created a new campaign aimed to help parents and guardians keep children safe.
When you have substances in your home, consider these tips to help keep your young ones safe:
- Keep medicines, paraphernalia, and other hazardous materials up and away: If at all possible, keep them in cabinets that can be locked or child-proofed with latches. If locks are not easily available, make sure they are placed inside cabinets and drawers and not out in the open. And be sure to put medicines away after using them.
- Talk with your children: Have these conversations with children about medicines and drugs. Understanding how something can be harmful will help kids stay safe.
- Encourage others to help keep your home safe: When babysitters, extended family, and friends come over, ask that they keep any medicines they may have safely stored in bags or are not brought into the home.
The presence of substances, whether over the counter, legally prescribed, or illegal, present potential safety risks for families, particularly when there are young and mobile toddlers in the home. Death or a near fatal incident can result when a child has access to a substance, particularly when the substance is an opioid.
Opioids should be stored in their original packaging and out of reach of children, locked away in a cabinet, or a lockbox whenever possible. Together, we can keep our kids safe!
Additional Resources:
- Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222
- Safe Storage. Safe Kids. Safe Philly.
- Guidance for people who work with adults taking prescription medicines or illegal drugs
- Treatment and Recovery Support
- Family and Parenting Support
- Prevention Point
- Personal safety and overdose prevention for injection drug users
- City of Philadelphia Harm Reduction Program
- Comprehensive list of drug and alcohol programs for youth and adults
- Safehouse Philly
- Where and How to Dispose of Unused Medicines
- Safe Medicine Storage Flyer