The goal of National Poison Prevention Week is to help reduce the annual toll of about 30 deaths to children under 5 years old. The nation’s poison control centers receive more than one million calls each year about unintentional poisonings of children under 5 years of age from medicines and household chemicals.
Experts emphasize three ways to reduce deaths and injuries from poisonings: (1) Keep medicines and household chemicals locked up, out of reach, and out of sight of young children at all times; (2) Use child-resistant packaging because it saves lives; and (3) Call (800) 222-1222 to get immediate treatment advice for poison emergencies.
Here are the basic poison prevention tips that every person should check during National Poison Prevention Week:
- Keep all chemicals and medicines locked up and out of sight.
- Use child-resistant packaging properly by closing the container securely after each use or choosing child-resistant blister cards, which do not need to be re-secured.
- Call (800) 222-1222 immediately in case of poisoning. Keep on hand a bottle of ipecac syrup but use it only if the poison center instructs you to induce vomiting.
- When products are in use, never let young children out of your sight, even if you must take them along when answering the phone or doorbell. (Easier said than done.)
- Keep items in original containers.
- Leave the original labels on all products, and read the label before using.
- Do not put decorative lamps and candles that contain lamp oil where children can reach them. Lamp oil can be very toxic if ingested by young children.
- Always leave the light on when giving or taking medicine. Check the dosage every time.
- Avoid taking medicine in front of children. Refer to medicine as “medicine,” not “candy.”
- Clean out the medicine cabinet periodically and safely dispose of unneeded and outdated medicines.
