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  • February 11, 2025
What is Granny’s Purse Syndrome and why is it dangerous for children? Pediatrician explains

What is Granny’s Purse Syndrome and why is it dangerous for children? Pediatrician explains

What is Granny's Purse Syndrome and why is it dangerous for children? Pediatrician explains

With the holidays comes the joy of spending time with family, and it’s that special time of year when young children come to visit and stay with their grandparents. While grandparents’ holidays are filled with delicious cookies, yummy food, and lots of pampering, there’s one important thing we need to keep in mind right now!
Dr. Meghan Martin talked about the overlooked risk of children living with grandparents on TikTok under her username @Beachgem10, explaining the ‘grandma’s wallet syndrome‘. The pediatrician stated that young children who are not supervised at all times may end up in the bags or cupboards containing their grandparents’ medications if they are not properly secured.
“If you’re spending time with your family this holiday season, it’s important to know about something called ‘grandma syndrome’ or ‘granny’s purse syndrome.’ This is when young children ingest their grandparents’ medications, which for many reasons are not properly secured. One is that grandparents are not used to having children around. Often their medicines are on low shelves or in their handbags or in medicine containers that are not childproof,” she said in the video!
She also said that grandparents have not been used to having children for a long time and they may leave their medicines on the table, on the shelves or in their bags that are not child-proof. The pediatrician shared her references from Consumer MedSafety’s research and explained that the drugs can be very dangerous and can even poison the children.
She said the pills used for pain, antidepressants, or heart and blood pressure medications used by adults are very harmful to the children, noting that even one pill can be toxic to them. Dr. Martin also stated that she wanted to raise awareness right before the holidays because that’s when they see a lot of cases of children coming into the emergency room because they may have consumed something.
She also encouraged parents to educate grandparents about the risks of leaving their medications unattended and ask them to take precautions by securing their purses or medicine cabinets that are not accessible to the children.

Signs of drug poisoning

The first step is to identify the symptoms of poisoning. If your child has swallowed medication, watch for warning signs such as nausea, vomiting, lethargy, excessive drooling, or unusual drowsiness. In some cases, your child may experience agitation, seizures or even lose consciousness. If you notice any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.

What to do if your child swallows your medicine

Keep Calm: Panic can make the situation worse. Keep a cool head while dealing with the situation.
Call poison control: In the US, the Poison Control Hotline (1-800-222-1222) is available 24/7. They can give you immediate advice on what to do depending on the type and amount of medicine you have taken.
Identify the drug: Try to find out what your child has swallowed. If possible, take the medicine bottle or packaging with you to the hospital. This provides vital information to healthcare professionals, allowing them to treat your child more effectively and quickly.
Go to the First Aid: Take your child to the nearest emergency room immediately. Time is of the essence in preventing serious damage, so don’t hesitate.

Preventive measures

Store medications safely: Store medications in child-resistant bottles and keep them out of reach, preferably in a locked cupboard.
Never call medicines ‘candy’: Avoid thinking of pills or liquid medications as candy, as this may make your child more likely to take them out of curiosity.
Please be careful during visits: Ask guests to store their medications safely when they visit your home, especially if they have young children.

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