Up and Away Campaign Resources

Key points

  • Materials on this page are designed to be used anytime during the year.
  • Share messages with coinciding graphics and videos on your social media channels or website (available in English and Spanish).
  • Use or customize the web content in your e-blasts, newsletters, websites, and other publications.
A kitchen scene with a young girl sitting at a table coloring and a father putting medicines in a high cabinet

Up and Away Overview

Approximately 100 young children are brought to the emergency room each day because they got into medicines that were left within reach. Medicines, vitamins, and other supplements, including those in gummy form, should be kept out of reach and sight of young children.

Up and away educational efforts remind families about the importance of safe medicine storage.

Share these materials and educate parents and caregivers on safe medicine.

Summer travel toolkit

Share our seasonal resources in the summer travel toolkit from June-August to remind parents and caregivers of the importance of safe medicine storage while traveling and on the go.

Social media graphics

Share these graphics on your social media channels and use the hashtags #MedsUpAway and #UpAndAway to spread important messages about keeping young children safe.

Mother and child sitting at a table with vitamins and fruit snacks. Mother is explaining to the child that medicine isn’t candy. Text reads “Keep your child safe, teach your children about medicine safety.” With CDC logo and upandaway.org
Medicine isn’t candy
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Madre e hijo sentados a una mesa con vitaminas y bocadillos de frutas. La madre le está explicando al niño que la medicina no es dulce. El texto dice “Mantenga a su hijo seguro, enséñele a sus hijos sobre la seguridad de los medicamentos.” Con logo de los CDC y upandaway.org.
Medicine isn't candy (Spanish)
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An illustration of a cabinet with a hand reaching up to various medications, including a bottle labeled 'VITAMINS', and a message that reads: 'Keep Your Child Safe, don’t leave medicines somewhere kids can get into them” – CDC logo and UpandAway.org
Store medicines safely
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Una ilustración de un armario con una mano reaching hacia varios medicamentos, incluyendo una botella etiquetada 'VITAMINAS', y un mensaje que dice: 'Mantenga a su hijo a salvo, no deje medicamentos en lugares donde los niños puedan acceder a ellos' – logo de los CDC y UpandAway.org
Store medicines safely (Spanish)
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Instagram carousel

Download each of these images to create an Instagram carousel

A young girl reaching up on a counter that has a glass of water, multiple medicine bottles and a bowl of candy on it. Text reads: Keep your child safe, medicines and supplements can look, smell and even taste like candy.
Medicine can look like candy
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Gummy bear candies and a photo of gummy supplements. Text reads: Can you tell which is candy and which is a supplement?
Which is which?
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Gummy bear candies and a photo of gummy supplements. Text reads: If you can’t tell the difference neither can your child.
If you can’t tell the difference…
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An ambulance. Text reads: Every year, approximately 35,000 young children end up it he emergency room after getting into medicines, vitamins or supplements left with in their reach. That’s roughly 100 children per day.
35,000 kids a year
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Parents and caregivers should keep all medicines, supplements, including gummies, up and away and out of reach of young children. Upandaway.org and the CDC logo.
Keep medicine Up and Away
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Sample social media messages

Messages in English

  • Medicine or candy? Medicine can look like candy to a child. Keep your children safe and put all medicines #UpAndAway and out of reach and sight of young children to prevent an emergency. To learn more visit: UpAndAway.org #MedsUpAway
  • Medicine left within reach of a young child can turn into an emergency quickly! Many medicines look like candy, and it can be difficult for children (and adults) to tell the difference. Parents and caregivers: Don’t forget to put medicine, vitamins and other supplements, including those in gummy form, #UpAndAway too. Find more tips: UpAndAway.org #MedsUpAway
  • Many medicines and supplements can look like candy. It can be difficult for young children (and even adults) to tell the difference. Each day, approximately 100 young children are brought to the emergency room because they got into medicines or supplements left within reach. Protect your child by keeping all medicines, vitamins, and other supplements (including those in gummy form) up and away, out of reach and sight. To learn more visit: UpAndAway.org #MedsUpAway #UpAndAway

Messages in Spanish

  • ¡Dejar medicamentos al alcance de un niño pequeño puede convertirse rápidamente en una emergencia! Muchos medicamentos parecen caramelos y diferenciarlos puede ser difícil para los niños (y hasta para los adultos). Padres y cuidadores: Pongan todos los medicamentos fuera de la vista y el alcance de los niños pequeños. #UpAndAway. No olviden poner también todos los suplementos, incluso las vitaminas y los que son gomitas, fuera de su vista y su alcance. #UpAndAway. Encuentren más consejos: UpAndAway.org #MedsUpAway
  • ¿Medicamentos o caramelos? Los medicamentos pueden parecerle caramelos a un niño. Mantén seguros a tus hijos y pon todos los medicamentos fuera de la vista y el alcance de niños pequeños para prevenir una emergencia. #UpAndAway. Infórmate más en: UpAndAway.org #MedsUpAway
  • Muchos medicamentos y suplementos, incluso los que son gomitas, pueden parecer caramelos. Diferenciarlos puede ser difícil para los niños pequeños (y hasta para los adultos). Cada día, alrededor de 100 niños pequeños terminan en la sala de emergencias porque encontraron medicamentos que dejaron a su alcance. Protege a tu hijo poniendo todos los medicamentos, vitaminas y otros suplementos (incluso las gomitas) fuera de su vista y su alcance. Para informarte más visita: UpAndAway.org #MedsUpAway #UpAndAway

Customizable year-round content

Use or customize this content in your e-blasts, newsletters, websites, and other publications.

Keep young children safe

Each day in the United States, approximately 100 young children are brought to hospital emergency rooms after they find and get into medicines that are left within their reach and sight.

Many medicines and supplements – including those in gummy form – look like candy, and it can be difficult for young children (and even adults) to tell the difference. It is important to teach young children that medicine is not candy and that they should never take medicines on their own. Parents, grandparents, and other caregivers should always keep all medicines, vitamins, and other supplements (including those in gummy form) up and away and out of children's reach and sight.

Medicine storage safety tips:

  • Keep medicines in a safe location that is too high for young children to reach or see.

  • Never leave medicines or supplements out on a kitchen counter or at a sick child's bedside, even if you must give the medicine again in a few hours.
  • Always relock the safety cap on a medicine bottle. If it has a locking cap that turns, twist it until you can't twist anymore or until you hear the "click."
  • Tell children what medicine is and why you or another trusted caregiver must be the one to give it to them.
  • Never tell children medicine is candy, even if they don't like to take their medicine.
  • Remind babysitters, houseguests, and visitors to keep purses, bags, or coats that have medicines in them up and away and out of sight when they're in your home.
  • Call Poison Help at 800.222.1222 right away if you think your child might have gotten into a medicine, vitamin, or other supplement (including those in gummy form) even if you are not completely sure.

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Content Source:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)