Telling the difference between candy and medicine

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) - We all know it’s important to store medicine away from children, yet each year around 60,000 kids are treated in U.S. emergency rooms due to accidental medication poisoning. Making the problem worse, many medicines look and even taste like candy.

Dr. Ryan Redman with East Tennessee Children's Hospital says if you can't tell the difference between medicine and candy, your kids can't either.

Nearly three in five parents think if medicine is out of reach, it's in a safe place. However, research shows that in about have of over-the-counter poisoning cases, the child climbed on a chair, toy or other device to reach medicine.

One in three parents thing that if their child is being watched, it doesn't matter as much where medicines are being stored. Parents frequently tell emergency room doctors that they'd only turned their back for a minute.

Half of parents think child-resistant packaging means a child won't be able to get into medicine at all, but research shows that about half of accidental poisonings involved child-resistant packaging.

Redman says you should store all medicine, prescription and OTC medicines, vitamins and supplements up and out of sight of kids at all times.

Make sure all caretakers of your child store medicine away. Remember this when visiting family and friends.

Put the poison control number in your phone for emergencies. The number is 1-800-222-1222.