Others’ Medicines Hurt Thousands of Toddlers
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About 53,000 U.S. toddlers went to hospital emergency rooms each year from 2001 to 2003 after taking medicines intended for other people, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. About 75% were 2 or younger.
About 5,000 of those were admitted or sent for specialized care in each of the years, and at least 53 children died from pill poisonings in 2002, according to the study. The report shows that access to drugs remained a danger to children even after child-proof packaging requirements cut poisonings in half from 1974 through 1992.
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