We all want to keep our children safe and prevent any injury if at all possible. The last article in our series on National Childhood Injury Prevention Month is about poison prevention. Every day, 374 children in the United States ages 0 to 19 are treated in an emergency department, and two children die as a result of being poisoned.

It’s not just chemicals in your home marked with clear warning labels that can be dangerous to children.  Everyday items in your home, such as household cleaners and medicines, can be poisonous as well. Active, curious children will often investigate—and sometimes try to eat or drink—anything that’s left out and within their reach.

Here are some tips to keep medicines from becoming the cause of a poisoning.

PREVENTION TIPS

• Lock them up. Keep medicines and toxic products, such cleaning solutions, in locked or childproof cabinets.
• Read the label. Follow label directions and read all warnings when giving medicines to children.
• Original container. Keep medicines in their original bottles or containers.  If an accident happens, you do not want to make a guess on what was in the bottle.
• If you don’t need it, don’t keep it. Safely dispose of unused, unneeded, or expired medications - both prescription and over-the-counter. See our article about safe disposal of medications.
• Turn on a light.  When you give or take medicines at night please have adequate lighting, so that you know you have the correct amount of the correct medicine.
• Monitor the use of medicines prescribed for children and teenagers, such as medicines for attention deficit disorder, or ADHD.

MOST IMPORTANT! Know the number. Put the nationwide poison control center phone number, 1-800-222-1222, on or near every telephone in your home. You should also program it into your cellular phone. You can reach poison control centers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call poison control if you think a child has been poisoned and if they are awake and alert. Experienced pharmacist and poison prevention experts can immediately help you with whatever your child ingested. Call 911 if you have a poison emergency and your child has collapsed, not breathing, convulsing (having seizures), or appears to be suffering from any serious effects that could be life-threatening. It is OK to “overreact” when a child accidently ingests something they are not supposed to or if even you suspect that you child has taken something dangerous. If you suspect poisoning, do not wait to “see” what effect the substance will have, call poison control immediately.
Remember- Poison Control Phone Number: 1-800-222-1222

Medicine can be very helpful when used properly, but can be harmful if found by curious little hands. By taking a few simple steps, you can have peace of mind that your child is safe in your home.