Experts Say Parents Should Keep This Surprising Item In Their First Aid Kits

"Naloxone should be kept in homes to protect our kids, our families, and our loved ones from accidental opioid exposure. Do you have a fire extinguisher in your home somewhere? Yeah, because we live in a world where there could be a fire. I have electrical socket covers because I live in a world where my toddler puts his fingers into the electrical sockets."

"Naloxone is a medication that blocks the opioid receptors in the brain; it's most commonly available in the form of a nasal spray, though injections exist, too. Its purpose: reversing an overdose, either from opioids or synthetic opioids, like fentanyl. You can purchase it over the counter for roughly $30 for two doses, depending on the retailer. But if you're not in a family with anyone who uses opioids, why on earth would you need it?"

Naloxone blocks opioid receptors in the brain and reverses overdoses from opioids and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. It is most commonly available as a nasal spray, with injectable forms also existing. Naloxone can be purchased over the counter for roughly $30 for two doses. Keeping naloxone at home protects children, families, and loved ones from accidental opioid exposure. Accidental poisonings are the second leading preventable cause of death for children under five, with opioids as the primary cause. Over half of opioid exposure incidents occur in the home; nearly all toddler exposures happen at home and about half of teen exposures occur at home.

Read at Scary Mommy