You may be seeing more liquid medicine bottles with a funny contraption on the lid.  It may be a flow restrictor, a device that fits into the top of a bottle.  It is a safety device that can prevent a young child from squeezing or sucking out the liquid.  The FDA, the Food and Drug Administration, has recently endorsed these safety devices for use, especially with liquid acetaminophen, one brand name being Tylenol.  Now, the devices are not mandatory, but just a formal acknowledgement that tests have shown this type of device does decrease poisonings.

One of the main reasons acetaminophen was chosen, is that overdoses of Tylenol cause serious liver damage and can lead to death.  Of course, just because there may be a new safety device, does not mean that parents should quit thinking about safety when it comes to anything that goes in that little mouth.  Remember that even the safest bottle can probably be opened by a resourceful youngster.

Here is a summary of medication safety issues that comes from a great web site from the CDC called “Up and away and out of sight”;

1. Keep all medicines in a safe location, where young children cannot reach.
2. Never leave medicine or vitamins out on a kitchen counter or at a sick child’s bedside.
3. Always relock the safety cap.
4. Tell kids what the medicine is for and be sure you NEVER tell them it is candy.
5. Remind babysitters, and visitors to keep purses, bags, or coats with medicine in them up and away and out of sight when around your little sweetie.
6. Have that Poison Control number readily available, 1-800-222-1222.
7. Keep a log of when medications are given, so that someone else won’t come and give an extra dose, not knowing it was given earlier.
8. Always use the correct measuring device to make sure you are giving the correct dose.

Keep it safe, and give that kid a hug.