Poison Prevention Week

National Poison Prevention Week

March 19 - 25, 2017

Poison Prevention Tips

On an average each year children under age 5- come in contact or swallow a poisonous substance. 

Treatment

If your child is unconscious, not breathing, or having convulsions or seizures due to poison contact or ingestion, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. If your child has come in contact with poison and has mild or no symptoms, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222

Below are a few tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics

To poison proof your home:
Most poisonings occur when parents or caregivers are home but not paying attention. The most dangerous potential poisons are medicines, cleaning products, liquid nicotine, antifreeze, windshield wiper fluid, pesticides, furniture polish, gasoline, kerosene and lamp oil. Be especially vigilant when there is a change in routine. Holidays, visits to and from grandparents' homes, and other special events may bring greater risk of poisoning if the usual safeguards are defeated or not in place. 

• Store medicine, cleaning and laundry products (including detergent packets), paints/varnishes and pesticides in their original packaging in locked cabinets or containers, out of sight and reach of children.
• Safety latches that automatically lock when you close a cabinet door can help keep children away from dangerous products, but there is always a chance the device will malfunction. The safest place to store poisonous products is somewhere a child can't reach.  
• Purchase and keep all medicines in containers with safety caps and keep out of reach of children. Discard unused medication. Note that safety caps are designed to be child resistant but are not fully child proof.
• Never refer to medicine as "candy" or another appealing name.
• Check the label each time you give a child medicine to ensure proper dosage. For liquid medicines, use the dosing device that came with the medicine. Never use a kitchen spoon.
• If you use an e-cigarette, keep the liquid nicotine refills locked up out of children's reach and only buy refills that use child resistant packaging. Ingestion or skin exposure with just a small amount of the liquid can be fatal to a child.
• Never place poisonous products in food or drink containers.
• Keep coal, wood or kerosene stoves in safe working order.
• Maintain working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Secure remote controls, greeting cards, and musical children's books. These and other devices may contain small button-cell batteries that can cause injury if ingested.

Courtesy: Posters courtesy-  National Poisoning Prevention Council

American Association of Poison Control Centers

http://www.aapcc.org

American Academy of Pediatrics

http://www.aap.org