‘Tweens’ Most Likely to Misuse Over-the-Counter Meds
oung pre-teens are likely to misuse over-the-counter medicines if they’re not educated about proper use and the dangers of abuse, experts warn in a new campaign encouraging parents to talk with their children about household drugs.
Research suggests so-called tweens begin to self-administer over-the-counter (OTC) medicines during the fifth or sixth grade, experts say.
In 2012, U.S. poison centers managed nearly 300,000 exposure cases in children aged six to 19; more than half these cases involved medication errors and misuse. Each year, some 10,000 emergency center visits involving individuals younger than 18 are caused by adolescents self-administering OTC medicines, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC).