How to Childproof a Medicine Cabinet

The contents of medicine cabinets pose a danger to children.

Childproofing the medicine cabinet could save your child's life -- but you not only have to put preventative measures in place, you also have to maintain them. Naturally curious children will explore everything, and it can take more than one safety precaution to limit their access to harmful substances. Childproofing takes a couple of hours at most to set up, and a few minutes each day to maintain.

Things You'll Need

• Childproof lock

Instructions

1. Organize your medicine cabinet, removing pills and prescriptions from low shelves. If your child can reach the shelf while climbing on the sink or toilet, it's not safe. Place all potential dangers on a high, out-of-reach shelf. This is important even if you have a cabinet lock because you might forget to use it, or have a house guest who inadvertently leaves the cabinet unlocked.

2. Check the caps on each bottle to ensure they're childproof. A childproof cap is challenging to open, such as one that requires you to push down and and turn it at the same time. Discard any medicine that doesn't have a childproof cap and make sure all medicine caps are properly closed after each use.

3. Get a lock for your medicine cabinet and use it consistently. Choose a lock that fits on your style of cabinet and install it following the manufacturer's instructions. If you can't use a lock with your cabinet, get a lock box large enough to store your medications and put it in your medicine cabinet or another out-of-reach place.

References

• University of Iowa Health Clinics: Medicine Cabinet Safety Guidelines
• Keep Kids Healthy: Childproofing the House
• Consumer Med Safety: Child Resistant Does not Mean Childproof