Toddler medication mistakes top calls to state poison hotline

MEDICATION errors are the most common reason for calling the state’s poison hotline.

The Victorian Poisons Information Centre receives an average of 113 calls a day, and requests for help after mistakes taking or giving over-the-counter and prescription medicines account for almost 18.

Exposure to household poisons such as cleaning products, silica gel, alcohol and essential oils account for an average of 57 calls a day.

Centre manager Jeff Robinson said the hotline had seen a 20 per cent increase in calls involving medication mistakes over the past two years.

“It could be parents or carers giving the wrong dose of medicine to their kids, or giving the wrong medication to the wrong child,” he said.

“Nursing homes can give tablets to the wrong resident, or a husband will accidentally take the wife’s medication.”

Most calls to the service concerned paracetamol (2626 calls), benzodiazepines (1318 calls) and ibuprofen (1295 calls), followed by antidepressants (1060 calls) and antipsychotics (788 calls).

Toddlers were most likely to be the subject of a medication mix-up.

“We want to remind people to read the labels carefully if it’s a new medication,” Mr Robinson said. “Always double-check before you take medicines, and avoid distractions.

“Parents should check with each other before they give a dose to a child, and if people aren’t sure about the dose they should check with their general practitioner or pharmacist.”