Poison Prevention Tips
By Robin @ Kids Matter
We all want to keep our children safe and secure and help them live to their full potential. However, it doesn't take much to make a small child sick. Kids have faster metabolisms than adults and anything they ingest will be absorbed into the bloodstream very quickly. Knowing how to prevent one of the leading causes of child injury, is a step toward keeping our children safe. Poison Control Centers in the United States receive 1.2 million calls each year as a result of accidental poisoning of children ages five and under. Nearly 90 percent of these exposures occur in the home.
· Store potentially poisonous household products and medications locked out of children’s sight and reach.
· Read labels to find out what is poisonous. Some things you don’t think of as poisonous, such as makeup, plants, art supplies, and medicines, are.
· Be aware of poisons that may be in your handbag, so store it out of reach of young children.
· Never leave potentially poisonous household products unattended while in use.
· Keep the Poison Control Center number (1-800-222-1222) and local emergency numbers near every telephone. Follow the operator’s instructions.
· Keep activated charcoal on hand to be used on the advice of the poison control center or a physician. Ipecac syrup is no longer used as a home treatment.
· Always read medication labels and follow the directions based on your child’s weight and age.
· When administering medications to kids, don’t call them “candy.” Children should not think of medications as treats.
· Install CO2 detectors in every sleeping area and on all levels of your home. Check the batteries every month. If the alarm sounds, leave the home immediately and call for help.
· Test children for lead exposure, and test homes built before 1978 for lead-based paint.
Poison Prevention week is March16 -22, 2014 in Fayette County. Let’s use this as a reminder of some safety practices we all need to be aware of. For these tips in reproducible form and more information please visit the Safe Kids website.
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