Protecting your toddler from a medication mishap

babyWe love our little ones! But how do we keep them safe when they start toddling around, especially if we have medicine in the home. Heaven knows that babies love putting things in their mouths. And some medications look awfully close to candy.

Each year, more than 60,000 young children nationwide are treated in emergency rooms after getting into medicine while their parents or caregivers aren’t looking. Scary, right? As much as we would like to watch them all the time, the truth is that babies will be babies.

If you have young children in your home, here are some important safety tips from the National Safety Council that can help you prevent a potentially tragic accident:

  • Store medicines out of reach and sight of young children. A top shelf in the cabinet is great idea, especially if the cabinet has a closed face. Having a glass face on your cabinet can lead to curiosity that could put your child at risk.
  • Put medicines and vitamins away EVERY time you use them. Don’t rely on ‘childproof’ caps to keep your children safe. Toddlers can been creative. A cap can fail.
  • With children who are old enough to understand, explain what medicine is, and why they should never try to take any on their own. Do not tell a child that medicine is candy in an effort to get them to take it.
  • Is grandma coming to visit? Ask her, grandpa and any other visitors to keep medicines out of reach and sight of children while they are in your home.

We value you and your family. We want to do everything we can to help protect your family from accidents that could easily be avoided.

Getting the most out of your doctor’s visit

Doctor isn't as scary as she seemsWhen it comes to doctor’s visits, do you ever wish you could have a do-over? You spend time with the doctor, only to discover on the way out the door that you’ve forgotten to ask a half-dozen questions that were on your mind the day before? If you’ve found yourself in that position, you’re not alone.

Visiting the doctor can be stressful. First of all, you’re probably feeling under the weather, or caring for a child who isn’t feeling well. Then you’re dealing with the administrative side of visiting the doctor, trying to remember insurance information and fill out paperwork to see the doctor. Then you find yourself in the office with heights, weights, heartbeats, ear checks, eye checks and everything else that may go into checking your health or your child’s well-being.

So how do you reduce the stress and make the most of your doctor’s visit? Here are some tips that will help you maximize the amount of time you have with your family physician:

  • When making an appointment, provide the office with sufficient detail about your health conditions. This will allow them to allocate the proper amount of time to your appointment.
  • Come prepared with knowledge about your family medical history, along with any paperwork that might help the doctor better understand your health and risk factors. You may consider writing this information down, or making a note on your phone, to make sure you don’t forget anything.
  • Make a list of your current prescriptions, including the doses and frequency of any prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Make sure to include other health remedies such as herbs, supplements and vitamins.
  • Take advantage of annual preventative office visits, which make more urgent visits less stressful. Let the doctor get to know you and your family in a more casual environment. These appointments are typically longer than a sick visit, and provide you with time to ask questions and address longer-term health issues.
  • Use the buddy system. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the information presented during your visit. It may helpful to bring a friend or relative to help you write things down, share medical information and talk with the health care team.

If you have any questions related to your health coverage, don’t hesitate to call us at (303) 663-9991. We’re here to help protect you and your family.