The holiday season is all about festive cheer, family gatherings, and kids enjoying extra time with grandparents and extended family. But amidst the laughter and celebrations, there should be extra caution to avoid unexpected hazards.
Dr. Meghan Martin, a Florida-based pediatric emergency physician known on TikTok as Beachgem10, is raising the alarm about an unexpected holiday hazard she calls “Granny’s purse syndrome.” This happens when curious young children get into their grandparents’ unsecured medications, often left on low shelves, in handbags, or non-child-resistant containers.
“Around 20 percent of poisonings that happen in young kids are related to accidentally swallowing their grandparent’s medications,” Dr. Martin said in her video.
“Grandparents are not used to having kids around, often their medications are on low shelves or in their purses or in medication containers that are not child resistant,” Dr. Martin said.
“Some of these medications can be really dangerous, they can be pain pills, antidepressants, heart medications, blood pressure medications, or diabetes medications,” she added. The effects of these medications on children can be so severe that even a single pill might lead to toxic ingestion, posing serious health risks.
To keep kids safe, Dr. Martin recommends storing medications in locked cabinets and avoiding leaving them in easily accessible places like backpacks or purses, which curious little hands can easily open. It is also important to avoid taking medication in front of kids who might imitate the act. “Never refer to medication as candy, medication is not okay to eat, candy is okay to eat,” she said.
Every year around 49 kids below the age of 10 lose their lives to accidental poisoning, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates.
“While the holiday season is a time of celebration, it is also a time of increased poisonings risks and hazards in the home,” a CDC newsletter cautioned. “Be sure to have guests keep all their personal items, such as purses and travel bags, out of reach of children and pets. Depending on the medication ingested, there can be a vast variety of symptoms and severity,” the CDC stated.
Accidental poisoning can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention, so it’s important not to wait for symptoms to appear before seeking help. If you suspect poisoning, call 911 or Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away for help.
