5 medicine storage tips for children

Try these 5 tips to to keep dangerous meds away from children

By Dina Cheney | Updated on Nov. 17, 2023 Medically reviewed by Marissa Walsh, Pharm.D., BCPS-AQ ID

Medications can provide relief when we’re sick—but, in the hands of children, they can be dangerous or even fatal. In 2017 alone, there were nearly 52,000 emergency room visits by children under the age of 6 due to accidental medicine poisoning, according to Safe Kids, a nonprofit that works to help keep kids safe from injuries. In most of these instances, kids accessed drugs when caregivers weren’t looking.

Every parent and caregiver starts with the best of intentions to store pills in an inaccessible location, but sometimes convenience wins out. If your child has a fever, you might stash Tylenol within easy reach—on a nightstand, on the kitchen counter, or in a tote bag. Because they take up so much space, large bottles can be inconvenient to carry around. You might put their medications in smaller containers or combine different medicines into one pill bottle, sometimes without child-proof lids.

These examples are when little ones can find medication in places within sight and reach—such as countertops, pillboxes, purses, diaper bags, refrigerators, and kitchen cabinets. Several reports indicate that in the majority of accidental poisonings involving young children, the medicine was not in its usual storage location.

General medication storage tips

Because it’s easy for children to gain access to medications, it’s important for you to have a plan to properly store both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. Below are a few general medication storage tips that will help avoid incidents for everyone in the household.

Keep medications in their original containers

Most medications should be stored in their pill bottle or container (such as blister packs or foil pouches). Remaining in its original packaging protects the medication from light and moisture, improves patient adherence (especially when the packaging outlines appropriate use), prevents excessive handling of or exposure to hazardous drugs, and ensures dosing information from the dispensing pharmacy is available. When traveling by airplane, prescription medications must remain in their original containers with the name on the label matching the passenger ticket.

Store medications in a cool, dry place

Medications require specific storage conditions. Heat and moisture can damage them by impacting the integrity of the drug and contributing to the degradation of active ingredients. Ultimately, this may decrease treatment efficacy or even cause harm. This means you should avoid storing medications in the bathroom medicine cabinet. The warm, humid conditions of a bathroom may speed up the degradation of active ingredients.

Some medications may require more specific storage conditions, such as refrigeration. Your healthcare provider or pharmacist can provide additional instructions for storage if needed. Storing medication as directed helps ensure that the potency and purity of the medication remain stable.

Keep medicines out of direct sunlight

Sunlight can damage medications, rendering them ineffective or causing undesirable side effects when ingested. The manufacturer’s package insert will always specify the conditions that must be met to ensure the medication’s quality.

Organize medications to avoid mistakes

If you have a messy medicine cabinet, prioritize organization. A great way to get organized is to head to the local dollar store to pick up inexpensive storage solutions like clear plastic bins or small baskets and break out the label maker. Label different categories of medications based on the problem they address. Then, separate prescription drugs from first aid essentials, products like toothpaste and shaving cream, and over-the-counter medications like cough syrups and vitamins. Create a storage system that makes benign products easy to access and puts dangerous ones, like pain medications, out of children’s reach.

Pillboxes or pill organizers can be useful tools to store medications, especially when multiple medications are required at different times of the day. Pillboxes should be light-resistant, closed tightly, and kept out of the reach of children. Medications in unit-dose packaging should be separated by dose and stored in the pillbox. Wait until it’s time to take the drug to remove it from the blister pack or foil pouch.

Declutter the medicine cabinet

If you have old prescriptions lingering, find out how to dispose of them safely by putting them in a medication dropbox or mixing them with trash. Only flush medications down the toilet if they’re on this FDA-approved list. If you have unexpired, unopened pills, consider donating them to a charity that can match them with someone in need. When they’re not in the house, they can’t be a danger.

RELATED: How to recycle pill bottles

5 child-safe medicine storage tips

It is critical to remember to store medications out of reach of children, but it’s not as simple as putting the pill bottle on a higher shelf. Here are 5 important medication storage ideas to keep your children safe.

1. Think of medicine broadly.

“Any medication—including over-the-counter and herbal or supplement products—can be a true safety hazard to children,” according to Jeanie Jaramillo-Stametz, Pharm.D., an assistant professor in pharmacy practice at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Even eye drops and diaper creams can pose a safety hazard. Keep medication in its original packaging so it’s easy to identify.

2. Keep meds out of reach and sight.

Always store drugs in a hidden, high-up location, ideally under lock and key, recommends Dr. Jaramillo-Stametz. When determining a good spot, remember that kids are climbers (for instance, onto a toilet to reach a medicine cabinet). A Safe Kids 2017 report revealed that in half of over-the-counter medicine poisoning cases, it was because a child had climbed on a chair, toy, or other item to reach it.

3. Don’t rely on child-resistant packaging.

Child-resistant and child-safety caps are a great invention—but don’t let them lull you into a false sense of security. “Medication safety caps are never child-proof,” Dr. Jaramillo-Stametz emphasizes. “They are child-resistant, but there are children out there who are still able to open these caps.”

Parents and caregivers should always ensure medicine caps are closed properly: Twist until you hear a click or cannot turn any further.

4. Teach children about medication safety.

It’s essential to educate your kids about medication safety, starting at a young age. Never describe drugs as candy, and make sure they know only adults can dispense drugs. Warn them never to take anyone else’s pills, such as grandma’s or a school friend’s. Finally, teach them how to read drug labels—even on over-the-counter pills. Your children should learn that labels are rules, rather than guidelines. Explain to pre-teens and teens that taking more than the recommended dose will not help them get better any faster and could hurt them.

5. Instruct others about children and medication safety.

It’s equally critical to make sure other caregivers (whether they be babysitters or grandparents) follow these safety tips—whether they’re at your home or their own. According to Up and Away, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initiative, “Nearly one out of every four grandparents say they store prescription medications in easy-access places, and 18% keep over-the-counter medicines in easily accessible spots.”

That’s why, before your children visit others, it’s wise to ask homeowners to place any medications out of reach and sight. Also, tell anyone who stores medications in their purse to put their bags in the designated medication storage spot. If they need to remove any pills, they should immediately return their bags to that difficult-to-access location afterward.

Bottom line: Have a plan for medication safety at home

It’s important to educate yourself, your children, and caregivers about how to keep children safe from medications. Properly storing medications and following the tips outlined above will prevent accidents from happening and keep the whole family safe.