Safety lobbyists aiming to keep lid on poisoning

Child safety advocates will campaign for a simple precaution that can save lives, and money. REBECCA WALSH reports.

Child-safety advocates want the Government to extend the list of medicines dispensed in child-resistant packaging to reduce the number of preschool poisonings.

Poisonings are the second-highest cause of injury admissions to hospital, after falls, for children aged up to 4 years.

On average, one child dies from poisoning every year in New Zealand.

A further 500 children under 5 are admitted to hospital overnight or longer because of poisoning.

Pharmaceuticals account for 63 per cent of those admissions.

Sue Kendall, national coordinator of Kidsafe Week 2001, says it costs up to $1000 a night to keep a child in hospital, but only an extra $1 for medicine to be dispensed in child-safe packaging.

Child-resistant closures for 12 medicines, known as the "dirty dozen", were introduced in 1997 and Ms Kendall says they have been highly effective.

The number of children poisoned by liquid paracetamol, for example, has dropped from an average of 41 a year to 12 in 1999, a decrease of 71 per cent.

Some of the medicines included on the "dirty dozen" list are paracetamol, methadone and asthma syrups.

Ms Kendall says that although child-resistant caps are not childproof, international research shows they are a deterrent to small hands, reducing poisonings by 40 to 80 per cent.

Kidsafe organisers will lobby MPs over the next week to increase the number of pharmaceuticals dispensed in child-resistant packaging.

The call is backed by Dr Wayne Temple, director of the National Poisons Centre, who would like all prescription medicines included.

In Australia, most medicines must have child-resistant packaging.

Each year the poisons centre receives about 10,500 calls about child poisonings.

The bulk of those are caused by household agents, drugs, medicines and plants.

Dr Temple says many people store dangerous substances in drink containers, which is illegal and dangerous.

Children could suffer long term health problems if they drank them.

A child who swallowed liquid paracetamol and did not receive an antidote in time could suffer serious liver damage, and swallowing concentrated dishwashing powder could burn the back of the throat, requiring years of reconstructive surgery.

Health Minister Annette King says she shares the concerns.

She has asked the Health Ministry to work on a solution.

It is likely that an announcement will be made during Kidsafe Week.

nzherald.co.nz/health