Poison Prevention


By Meghan

Blog 5 Extra



The most common childhood injury is poisoning.


Every 8 seconds someone calls a poison center.

"A poison exposure occurs when a person swallows, breathes, touches, or gets splashed in the eye with something that can cause sickness or death. Poisoning is a matter of dosage - too much of almost anything can be dangerous."


Each year during March, health agencies nationwide promote information about the risks of poisoning. Many of the precautions seem like a repetition of things we already know and do. When our children started to walk and explore their environment we probably did the basic things to child proof the house. Still this may not be adequate. According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers "in 2007 approximately 1.3 million children under the age of 5 were poisoned." That is almost have the number of poisonings nationwide!  More needs to be done to prevent poisoning in young children. Over time it is easy to grow lacks or overlook situations that in seconds could become extremely dangerous.

Keeping in mind how a toddler or young child might respond to some normal household circumstances, I decided to reexamine some common items that could present opportunities for a young child to be poisoned, and may not have been considered by many parents as much as more familiar poisons.

PLANT DANGERS

Indoor and outdoor plants add to the beauty of our homes and yards. They are selected for many reasons – color, height, to attract butterflies or animals, but few people stop to think if they are safe to be around children. Some parts of many common house and garden plants are poisonous and harmful to humans. I was surprised to learn that certain parts of a plant can be poisonous while other parts are not. Rhubarb stocks are edible, but the leaves are poisonous. When considering plants for your home, check them out first. Label the plants with their names, and keep them out of reach of those little hands. Remember that invisible pesticides and fertilizers may also present risks. The following is an example of the type of informaion available on the website.   

                                                

COMMON NAME: Amaryllis
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Amaryllis belladonna, vittata
TOXIC PARTS: Bulb
The amaryllis is a beautiful flower, but the bulbs are poisonous if ingested. Large quantities of the bulb (although less for a small child) would have to be eaten before symptoms of diarrhea, nausea and/or vomiting would occur.

SUBSTANCE DANGERS 

Purses and brief cases are extremely inviting and interesting to young children. These are usually left around without much concern about the common harmful substances that may be in them. Think about it! Pills that look like candy in easy to open containers, nicotine or aspirin that looks like gum, perfume or cosmetics in bright fruity colors, maybe a tube of diaper or acne cream that looks like fun might be inside. All are real dangers for a child. Even a pack of cigarettes could be harmful to your child. The only thing more interesting than Mommy’s purse is one that belongs to Grandma, and she may be more likely to have dangerous medications. Such substances are some of the most common hazards to children. Find a safe place to keep your purse or brief case, and suggest that any visitors do the same.

CHEMICAL DANGERS

Batteries, especially the small round disks, are very dangerous to Mr. Yuk™small children. If swallowed, they cause a chemical reaction in the body. Immediate help is necessary if a battery is swallowed or pushed up a tiny nose. Cleaning proTducts can look like interesting drinks to a child. Chemicals in the garage should be store in a secure cabinet. Never put a dangerous chemical in an unmarked container. Keep them in their original packaging. One of the best deterrents to an accident involving a child is to mark any type of poison with Mr. Yuk stickers.

"To promote poison prevention and the poison center, the iconic symbol  was created by the Pittsburgh Poison Center and was the first recognized poison prevention/poison center awareness symbol in the U.S. Since then, Mr. Yuk has been used to educate children and adults in the U.S. and internationally about poison prevention and to promote poison center awareness.

Mr. Yuk has raised awareness that poison centers are available 24 hours-a-day, every day of the year to assist in the management of poisoning emergencies and to provide poison information. Every Mr. Yuk sticker contains the name of the nearest poison center and the national toll-free “Poison Help” telephone number: 1-800-222-1222. Regardless of your location in the U.S. or its territories, dialing that number will direct your call to the nearest regional poison center."

Follow the Mr. Yuk link to see the promotion, and get the address to receive a free sheet of Mr. Yuk stickers.

LEAD DANGERS

Most families feel that their children are safe from
Lead poisoning, but this might not be true if you live in a house build before 1980! Although the law prohibits lead in toys for toddlers it is still found from time to time. Carefully check “hand –me-down” toys or toys without packaging. Never allow a young child to put jewelry in her mouth. Children’s jewelry frequently has lead or other dangerous metals in it.

CARBON MONOXIDE DANGERS

Most homes have smoke alarms , but not as many have carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide poisoning causes http://www.the-baby-safety-site.com/carbon-monoxide-poisoning-symptoms.html

flu like symptoms which are much more dangerous to infants and small children than adults. It can also cause lasting effects. Consider getting carbon monoxide detectors for your home, and learn the symptoms and causes of this deadly danger.

Planning for every danger may seem impossible. One of the best way to prevent accidents is to talk to your children. Here are some tips for toddlers and young children.

Tips for Kids


• If you don’t know what something is don’t put it in your mouth. Always ask a trusted grown-up first.

• Never take medicine unless an adult gives it to you.

• Some plants and berries are poisonous. Always ask a grown-up before you put them in your mouth.

• Always let grown-ups use spray cans and bottles. Do not touch them!

• Stay away from things used to clean the house, clothes or car.