These articles reporting on the CDC study, showed that in the United States alone, each year more than 71,000 children, 18 years old and younger, wind up in emergency rooms for unintentional overdoses of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. The article also notes that more than two-thirds of emergency department visits are due to poisoning from prescription or over-the-counter medications. This represents more than double the rate of childhood poisonings caused by household cleaning products, plants or other items.
Lead researcher Dr. Daniel Budnitz, director of the CDC's Medication Safety Program in the division of health-care quality promotion, was quoted in the articles stating, "Medication overdoses are most common among 2-year-olds" He then reports an alarming statistic by saying, "About one out of every 180 2-year-olds visits an emergency department for a medication overdose each year."
Dr. Robert Geller, a professor of pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine and medical director of the Georgia Poison Center, added his concern about these alarming numbers by saying that "the number of children seen in the emergency room due to overdoses that are unintentional or medication errors is remarkable." He then added, "Right now, poison centers are having their funding cut. If poison centers are less available, the number of children going to emergency rooms will rise."
When this type of problem starts affecting our young ones we should realize how dangerous medications can be and do everything we can to avoid their use. Live pro-actively, not re-actively! That's what wellness care is all about. Visit our website or call our office for more information. Mention this blog and receive a wellness certificate for an examination at no charge.


On September 11, 2009, an interview appeared on the Financial Times health blog website with Dr. Tom Jefferson, a medically trained epidemiologist and Cochrane reviewer who has a special research interest in the effectiveness of vaccinations. Dr. Jefferson started his comments by answering the question of how effective are seasonal vaccines? He responded, "Our reviews either show no effect or limited effect, and poor data."
Dr. Q
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