Poisoning in the home is, unfortunately, a very common occurrence.
Out of the over two million calls a year Poison Control receives, over 80% of the calls are related to children.
It’s super important that we keep our homes safe for our children. Listed below are some Poison Prevention Tips to prevent within your home.
Store all medicines and chemicals in a cabinet your children cannot get into. To ensure they can’t get into the harmful chemicals and medicines, place a child lock on the cabinet.
Store potential poisons in their original containers. Do not place the poisons in a milk jug or juice bottle. If your child gets hold of it, they will associate the container with something good and be encouraged to ingest the contents.
Never mix products. This could create harmful fumes when inhaled.
Make sure that your medicines are in childproof bottles. If the child does happen to get hold of the medicine, at least they won’t be able to open the bottle and potentially poison themselves.
Keep indoor plants out of reach of your little ones. Some indoor plants may be poisonous when touched or ingested, and a child or a pet are likely going to put these sorts of things in their mouth.
Stay away from areas that have been recently sprayed with pesticides or fertilizer.
Never refer to medicine as candy. Your child will believe you and think that it’s okay for them to eat it without you administering it to them.
Check the label of the medicine being administered to see the proper dosage each time.
Safely dispose of all medicines. If you just toss unused or expired medication in the garbage, there is a possibility that a small child will get into the garbage and ingest any harmful medication that is left. Dispose of medication by flushing it down the toilet or taking the garbage right outside as soon as you place the medicine in there.
Have your home and your child tested for lead regularly, especially if you live in an older home.
Keep the Poison Control number nearby in case a poisoning has occurred.
Ensure that your child cannot use a chair or step stool to reach the hard-to-reach medicines and chemicals. Even if you think they can’t, they probably can, so keep a lock on that cabinet anyways.
Be sure to be on the lookout for signs of a poisoning with these poison prevention tips. People whom have just been poisoned usually display these symptoms:
If you believe someone has been poisoned, get help from Poison Control: use webPOISONCONTROL to get specific recommendations for your case online or call 1-800-222-1222. When you call, ensure that you have the following information on hand:
The following information comes directly from the National Capital Poison Center website: If the individual collapses, has a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can’t be awakened, call 911. Before you seek help from Poison Control, whether by phone or online, there are some quick first aid measures that make a difference if accomplished within seconds to minutes of the poison exposure:
Swallowed poisons: If the product swallowed is burning, irritating, or caustic AND the person is conscious, not having convulsions, and able to swallow, drink a small amount of water or milk immediately.
Poison in the eye: Rinse (irrigate) the eye immediately. Every second matters. A delay could result in loss of sight. Remove contact lenses. Use lots of room temperature water and irrigate for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Adults and older children may find it easiest to hop in the shower. Wrap young children in a towel and let water from the faucet in the kitchen sink run over the eye – or slowly pour water from a pitcher. Let the water hit the bridge of the nose and gently run into the eyes rather than pouring the water directly into the eye. Important: Irrigate for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Encourage blinking.
Poison on the skin: Rinse the skin immediately. Remove contaminated clothing first (that’s clothing with a spill). Don’t delay. Every second matters. Use lots of room temperature running water. For large spills, adults and older children may find it easiest to hop in the shower. Use mild soap to remove material that sticks to the skin. Important: Rinse for at least 15 minutes.
Inhaled poison: Move to fresh air immediately. Stay away from toxic fumes and gases.
We hope this article on Poison Prevention Tips has been informative. Witnessing someone who has been poisoned is very scary. It’s important that you stay calm, though, and get help right away. Every second counts after the toxin has been consumed, so be quick when calling for help. Poisonings can be prevented, so ensure that you take into consideration these tips to help guarantee that poisonings do not take place in your home.
EK Insurance believes safety and prevention are some of the best strategies to prevent injuries and property damages. Please check out more of our articles on safety here:
