Mare Oder, the head of the poison information department at the Estonian Health Board, has raised concerns about the increasing incidents of medicinal poisoning among schoolchildren, which have now surpassed chemical poisonings in frequency. In a recent interview on 'Terevisioon', she advised parents to assemble a medicine box at home that includes only those medications that a schoolchild is permitted to take autonomously. She highlighted the importance of simulating scenarios with children for when they need to self-administer medicine from this box.

In her comments, Oder pointed out that many accidents occur when a child returns home feeling unwell after school. She cautioned against instructing children to look for medications in cupboards when parents are not home, as this can lead to confusion and the likelihood of taking the wrong medication due to similarly colored packaging. To mitigate such risks, she advocates for a focused approach whereby the medicine box should only contain common medications like paracetamol, which are safe and generally used for common ailments such as pain and fever.

This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance child safety and promote responsible handling of medications at home. By equipping homes with a carefully curated selection of medicines, it aims to prevent accidental poisoning among children, highlighting the critical role of parental guidance and education in ensuring child safety regarding medications.