Health Canada is advising Canadians to take precautions to prevent the unintentional exposure of young children to adult acetaminophen easy-to-swallow tablets following multiple incident reports to poison control centres. These tablets are red and sweet tasting, may seem like candy to young children, and can be packaged in bottles with a red, gear-shaped cap that is designed for easy opening and may seem like a toy. Unintentional ingestion of acetaminophen products can result in overdose and serious health consequences, including liver damage or death. Symptoms of an overdose include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and pain in the upper part of the abdomen or stomach. Acetaminophen easy-to-swallow tablets are available in 325 mg and 500 mg strengths and come in different package sizes and styles. Easy-to-swallow tablets are available for consumers who have difficulty swallowing such as people who have suffered a stroke or people with nerve disorders (e.g., Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis). Non-child-resistant packaging with easy to open caps is available for consumers who have difficulty opening child-resistant containers, such as the elderly or people with arthritis in their hands.
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