Syrup of ipecac

Syrup of ipecac, which induces vomiting, was once the American Academy of Pediatrics' treatment of choice for a child who swallowed a poisonous substance. However, the AAP now discourages this practice, as there is no evidence that vomiting actually removes poison from a child's body. Emergency rooms have stopped using ipecac and now administer activated charcoal, which binds to poisons in the stomach and prevents them from entering the bloodstream. In addition, continued vomiting due to syrup of ipecac may make a child unable to tolerate activated charcoal or other poison treatments in the future.

If you have syrup of ipecac at home, dispose of it safely by flushing it down the toilet. And remember that prevention is the best defense against poisoning. Keep potential poisons out of site and out of reach, secure child-resistant caps on medications after use, keep products in their original containers, and discard medications after their expiration date.