Poisoning in the home is, unfortunately, a very common thing to occur. Out of the over two million calls a year Poison Control receives, over 80% of the calls are related to children. It’s important that we keep our homes safe for our children. Listed below are some tips to preventing poisoning within your home.
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Never mix products. This could create harmful fumes when inhaled.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Stay away from areas that have been recently sprayed with pesticides or fertilizer.
7. 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.
8. Check the label of the medicine being administered to see the proper dosage each time.
9. 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.
10. Have your home and your child tested for lead regularly, especially if you live in an older home.
11. Keep the Poison Control number nearby in case a poisoning has occurred.
12. 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.
Signs of Poisoning
Be sure to be on the lookout for signs of a poisoning. People whom have just been poisoned usually display these symptoms:
* Difficulty breathing
* Nausea
* Dizziness
* Cramps
* Difficulty speaking
* Foaming or burning of the mouth
If you believe someone has been poisoned, call the Poison Control immediately. When you call, ensure that you have the following information on hand:
* Victim’s condition, age, and weight
* When the product was consumed
* What they consumed
* How much was taken in
* Your name and phone number
You used to be advised to induce vomiting if you know a child has been poisoned, but now The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against it. You could potentially do more harm to them than good.
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.