Toddler

Medication Safety for Kids: Separating Candy from Medicine to Prevent Poisoning

Tacs, M&M’s, Mike N’ Ikes, Good N’ Fruity, Sweet Tarts, Skittles, even chocolate — the list goes on. Look in a medicine aisle and you’ll find a medication that looks nearly identical to many popular candies. Packaging removed, many adults can’t even tell the difference between candy and pills. Mix that with the impulsive sweet-tooth of most kids, and you have a recipe for misfortune and a serious reason to practice some medication safety for kids. One out of every 250 2-year-olds ends up in the ER from accidental medication poisoning.

So how can you keep your child from mistaking medicine for candy?

Medication Safety for Kids:medication safety for kids

-Teach your child a symbol that means something is icky, a no-no, and dangerous. Since many poisonous substances already use the skull and crossbones, you can add this symbol to your medications, pills, and other hazards for children such as make-up, toiletries, and cleaning supplies. Make the symbol big and on neon paper if possible. You want it to really stand out. Be clear to your child that they should never touch anything that has this symbol. You can also buy stickers if you prefer.

-Avoid referring to medications or pills as “candy.” While I realize children often make this association themselves (my toddler calls his Flintstone vitamins candy), never tell your child a pill is candy to get them to take it. If they do mistake a medication for candy, correct them. Teaching that there is a difference between medicine and candy from the very beginning is important.

-Teach your kids never to eat candy off the floor. My toddlers eat off the floor all the time, it’s an effect of constantly throwing food. However, teaching that all foods should pass a mom/dad inspection can prevent accidental poison or medication ingestion. This one can take time, so in the meantime, keep a close eye on younger children, especially when in public places or locations like hotel rooms where you may not know who all has been there.

-Try to take your medicine out of your child’s sight. Young children in particular, as you likely have noticed, are mimics. Anything you do they’ll not only want to do, but likely will try to do. Simply taking your pills out of your child’s sight can help tremendously when your aim is medication safety for kids.

-Buy child-resistant packaging, and be sure the bottles are closed after use. Most medications now come with tamper-resistant or child-proof packaging, but some don’t. Be on the look-out for packaging that is extra tricky to open, the more difficult the better. Also be sure you properly close medication after use. My very first scare with my toddler and pills was due to me not fully placing the lid back on my Advil. Luckily he didn’t consume any, but if the cap isn’t secure, child resistant packaging doesn’t work, so check it twice. Also be sure to always keep medication in its original, safe package with the added no-no label.

-Keep medication in a locked location well above your child’s reach. When it comes to preventing accidental poisonings and medication safety for kids, you really can’t be too careful. Place those child-proof bottles and packages in a locked location that is well above your child’s reach, such as a bathroom cabinet above the mirror or toilet or on a high shelf.

What should you do if you suspect your child ate a pill or medication?

Don’t wait to see if your child has a reaction. Many medications will show little to no symptoms, but can be fatal over time. If you know the medication or pill that was or possibly was ingested, call poison control at 1-800-222-1222 in the US for instructions and follow them. If you’re unsure of the pill or medication taken, grab any remains — even if it’s covered in spit and is half-eaten — and go immediately to the ER. Also try to remember or even write down what the substance looked like in detail, so you can provide hospital staff with accurate information.

 

No More Fear of the Dark: Helping Kids Stop Being Afraid

Once your child graduates from baby to toddler you may think your sleep problems are over, but a new nightly woe may be creeping below the bed. Literally, between around 2 and 6 years of age many children suddenly become afraid of the dark. This causes even the soundest of sleepers and most willing bedtime-going toddlers to become trouble-ridden and scared.

Why is my toddler suddenly afraid of the dark? Is it something I did?

fear of the dark

It could be, but then it could not be. Many toddlers develop a fear of the dark simply as a result of their growing imaginations and memories. They can dream up more than a baby and have more information to feed that fantasy. Other toddlers find their fears in suggestion, such as a cartoon like Monsters Inc., or in innocent stories from adults. Other children become afraid of the dark after seeing scary movies or television shows that aren’t appropriate for their age range. Still others may pick up a fear of darkness from friends or siblings sharing their concerns with not being able to see at night. Why a toddler develops a fear could be from countless reasons. In this case, it’s better not to worry about something that’s already been done, but rather to work to fix it.

What can I do to help my toddler conquer their fear of the dark?

You want to offer reassurance and assistance, but avoid being so realistic you feed into the fear. You don’t want to make your toddler think the imaginary reasoning behind their freight is real.

What not to do to try to get rid of a fear of the dark:

-Don’t make light of your child’s fears or act like it’s a baby thing. Teasing your child, even if seems like a playful joke, will not help them overcome their fear of the dark. Don’t try to rationalize away their created issue.

-Don’t punish night-time waking or difficulty falling asleep due to a fear of the dark. You can’t discipline away fears.

-Don’t cuddle too much. For example, if you spend several hours each night sitting by your child’s bedside until they fall asleep, you’re over doing it. You’re giving your toddler a reason to believe their fears are real, because you seemingly feel they are.

What to do to get rid of a fear of the dark:

-Talk with your toddler about the dark, and do more listening than speaking. Let your child express what their concern is and work from there. Avoid telling or assuming as you may actually add new fears to the problem.

-Use what created the problem to fix the problem. Your child’s imagination is a powerful weapon against imaginary foes. Help your toddler find that weapon, whether it be a spray bottle of monster be-gone, an invisible sword, or a magic word of vanquishing. Find something that will make your toddler feel more powerful than his or her fear, and then let them defeat that fear. Make sure your toddler knows you will be there if needed, but don’t be your child’s protector.

-Consider a night light. Often a harmless dim light can solve a fear of the dark with the flick of a switch as most children outgrow this fear in time.

-Set an example. You can also read stories or watch cartoons featuring characters who are afraid but face that fear and prosper.

-Give gold stars. Be sure to reward even small steps towards successful defeat of fears.

You may also find helpful:
Nightmares and Night Terrors in Children: What Can You Do?

Toddler Sexuality: Gender realization, Fascination and Playing Doctor

“She has a butt.” These were the very confusing words my toddler randomly said to me, while using the bathroom, shortly after he had been visiting his little cousin for the day. “What?” I said, “Yes, everyone has a butt, honey.” “No”, he said, “she has a butt for a pee-pee.” You can then mentally insert rather hysterical laughter from me. My niece is also potty training, and as a result often ends up butt-naked running around the house. My son, who only has little brothers, noticed that she didn’t look like him “down there,” and that she had what he thought look like a “butt,” apparently.

Is it normal for toddlers to notice one another’s genitals, or even compare them?

toddlers playing doctor gender realizationYep, gender realization is the next step in sexual development beyond self-touching and exploration. Your toddler is just realizing he or she is a girl or boy, and girls and boys are different. While more common in pre-schoolers, it’s not cause for alarm if you catch your toddler looking at, or even touching another child’s private parts who is a regular playmate and around the same age. Your toddler may also show interest in seeing other people naked, want to show other people him/herself naked, or attempt to touch adults (usually female breasts.) Toddlers often become rather fascinated with sexual organs once they discover them. Some kids will talk about them incessantly or even sing about them.

How can you help your toddler understand his/her private parts in a healthy way?

Don’t respond to such play in a negative manner. Simply redirect any children involved to a new activity, and explain those parts are private. While not cause for concern, this type of behavior does mean it may be time to help your toddler learn about the human body. There are many toddler-age children’s books available for this purpose, but just talking about it together usually helps the most. Teaching your child what a penis and vagina are is no different than teaching what an eyeball and nose are. They are parts of the body that your child needs to know about. This is also a good time to explain personal boundaries–to start teaching keeping your hands to yourself.

Your toddler will also likely have interesting questions like why their cousin has a “butt” rather than a “pee-pee.” Don’t avoid questions. Use them as an opportunity for learning. Answer any questions in a direct, simple way. Avoid cute little lies, like the stork brought you, and excessive, unnecessary detail. For instance, in the butt example, you could just say, “Your cousin does have a pee-pee. Little girls have different pee-pees than little boys.” It is OK, and even beneficial, to use actual terms and not nick-names, but this falls under your own comfort level. Once your child has learned what they want to know, and has temporarily satiated their curiosity about sexuality, they’ll move on — for awhile at least.

At what point, if any, should you be concerned?

If your toddler exhibits knowledge of sexual acts beyond their age range, for example attempting to kiss another child’s private parts, or any kind of insertion, this is definitely cause for concern. This could be a sign of sexual abuse or simply that someone is letting your child watch programming they shouldn’t be seeing.

Other things to watch out for:

-You frequently find your child “playing doctor.”
-Other children involved in the play are not close in age or don’t see one another often.
-The play is planned and didn’t just happen. Example: One child intentionally leads another out of adult view to “play doctor.”
-Your child isn’t easily redirected to a new activity.
-Any child involved is upset, sad, or aggressive and threatening.

In any case, ask questions, but again don’t punish. Find out in a non-accusing way what the children felt was going on, in their own words, why they were doing it, and where they learned it. All of the above can offer insight into the problem — if there is one — as well as help solve it if necessary.

You may also find helpful:
When Toddlers Touch Themselves: What to Do About Private Part Touching
The Sex Talk Timeline: When Should You Talk to Your Kids About Sex?