The American Association of Poison Control Centers has partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to remind parents to lock medicine up and away and out of sight to keep children safe, according to Sandy Giffin, director of the Oregon Poison Center.

In 2009, America’s 57 poison centers received more than 575,000 calls involving children younger than 6 and medicines—including prescription and over-the-counter drugs, herbal products, and vitamins. In addition, according to the CDC, more than 60,000 young children are treated in emergency rooms every year because they get into medicine while their parents or caregivers were not looking.

Should a child ingest medicine, Giffin reminds parents that a call to the 24-hour poison help line at 1-800-222-1222 connects you to your local poison center, which is staffed by nurses, pharmacists and doctors who can help you and your child. “Even if you aren’t sure it’s an emergency, call your poison center,” says Giffin.

The new “Up and Away and Out of Sight” campaign educates parents and caregivers about how to store medicine safely and protect the health of their children.  Giffin encourages every parent, grandparent and caregiver to follow these important reminders:

• Store all medicines and vitamins out of reach and sight of small children;
• Completely close child-proof containers;
• Call the poison help number, 1-800-222-1222 if children ingest drugs or nutritional supplements of any kind, and;
• Program the poison help number into your home phone and cell phone in case of an emergency.

Free resources, tip sheets, videos, coloring pages and other materials for use in publicizing the campaign can be found at www.upandaway.org and www.oregonpoison.org