Syrup of Ipecac and The American Academy of Pediatrics
Should You Stock Syrup of Ipecac in Your Medicine Cabinet?
The American Academy of Pediatrics used to recommend keeping a bottle of syrup of ipecac around the house in case of accidental ingestion of poison. Parents were instructed to administer this to their child if a poison were to be accidentally ingested. However, parents who have held true to this advise might be interested in knowing that The American Academy of Pediatrics actually revised their recommendation and administering syrup of ipecac is no longer recommended.
Vomiting May Do More Harm than Good
If your child swallows any poisonous substance, you should immediately call the Poison Control Center and follow the instructions you are given. Parents should no longer try to induce vomiting because it has been found that making a child vomit a hazardous substance can do more harm than good.
Just Because They Sell It, Doesn’t Mean It’s Good For You
Syrup of ipecac is currently sold over-the-counter, but depending on the result of the FDA’s discussion on this product, it eventually may no longer be available as an over-the-counter product. Interestingly, syrup of ipecac has been sold over-the-counter since 1965. If you have any syrup of ipecac still remaining in your home, you should immediately dispose of it.
An Ounce of Prevention…
Obviously, prevention is the best approach when it comes to keeping your children safe from poison, so keep all of your cleaning products and medications locked up and out of reach of your curious toddler. If that is not possible, try to at least store them in the garage and only bring them inside your home when you need them.
Realize that poison prevention also involves constant supervision of young children. Toddlers have an uncanny ability of being quick and curious. Accidental swallowing can happen all too quickly. Also, refrain from referring to medicine as candy as this could lead a child to believe the medicine they take when they are sick is harmless and medicine made to look like candy (such as fever-reducing lolly pops and vitamins that look like gummi worms) may not be such a good idea.