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Be aware of hidden dangers at grandparents’ home
One morning, we stopped by my parents’ house for a visit. My father is a diabetic and he takes a variety of pills (up to seven). During our visit, my father had placed his medication on the kitchen counter to be taken later in the afternoon.
While the rest of the family was chatting, my three-year-old daughter Kiana climbed up on a chair near the counter and took a bite out of one of the tablets. When I looked over at her and then saw the pill she’d bitten, I tried
not to panic.
We immediately took Kiana, the medication bottle and the half-eaten pill, to the children’s hospital emergency department. While there, they told us that the medication Kiana had taken would lower her blood sugar and it could have been fatal if she’d taken more and not been treated. She was treated and monitored for most of the night at the hospital and then we were able to take her home.
Fortunately, this emergency ended well, with no side effects for Kiana. We are now especially cautious about possible safety hazards when visiting the homes of family members and friends. And, of course, we keep all medications in our own home well out of reach of any children.
Kathleen Wong, Vancouver
