National Poison Prevention Month is observed March 17 to 23.
In observance, Deepa Vasireddy, M.D., the first-year Pediatrics Resident at The Children's Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center pictured above, shares the below information.
FACT: Every day, more than 300 children in the United States are treated in an emergency department, and two children die, as a result of being poisoned.
Most of these poisonings generally occur in children younger than 5. Toxic ingestions could range anywhere among the regular household items like cold and cough preparations, vitamins, antibiotics and acetaminophen to drain cleaners, alcohol and cosmeticsˇ
WHAT TO DO
1. Keep all chemicals out of site and reach in child proofed locked cabinets.
2. Keep all chemicals in their original containers and leave the labels on.
3. Do not leave handbags or any other items that may contain these substances lying around the house.
4. Do not store such substances in containers other than the ones they come in, such as storing drain cleaners in old juice cartons. Children associate such items with drinks or food items.
5. Get rid of expired medications and safely dispose of chemicals no longer needed in the house.
6. Do not take it for granted that a container is childproofed and allow a child to play with it, as there is always a possibility that they may figure out a way to open it.
In The Event of Accidental Ingestion:
Call the nationwide poison control center phone number, 1-800-222-1222, if your child is awake and alert, but if the child's condition is deteriorating, call 911 right away. Keep the following information handy: age and weight of the child, route of the poisoning (i.e. oral, inhaled or skin contact), what time it happened, and the current condition of the child.
Do not take the possibility of a poisoning lightly and make your home a safer place for your children.
