Each year, the nation’s 55 Poison Control Centers receive
1.2 million calls
stemming from accidental poisonings involving children aged five and under.
Most of these incidents occur at home and are caused by common household
items ranging from medications to household cleaners to poisonous
houseplants.
Here are some of the risks to be mindful of in your home as well as some
steps you can take to keep your children safe.
Medications
If you take medicines regularly, don’t leave them out between doses.
Medications should be kept in their original containers with child safety
caps and
stored in a lockable box or cabinet
with shelves that are too high for your children to reach. For an added
layer of safety, keep track of how many pills are left in each container.
That way, you’ll know how many you’ll need to pick up if there’s a spill.
When a medication expires or you stop taking it, get rid of it. If it
shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet
and you can’t find
a place that will take it, put the medication in a bag and dispose of it in a secure outdoor trash
can.
You should also avoid taking medications
in front of your child
because they may try to imitate you by taking those medicines themselves.
And never try to get your child to take a medication by
telling them it’s candy. Read and carefully follow the directions included with your child’s
medication. If it comes with a dosing cup or syringe,
use that
rather than a spoon to make sure the correct dosage is taken. If the
directions require you to give them the medicine at night, turn on the light
to be sure you’re giving your child the right medicine and dosage.
Other household products
Household cleaners, art supplies, cosmetics, and other personal care
products should be stored out of your children’s sight and reach inside a
cabinet, cupboard, closet, or box you can lock. Never leave these products
unattended and immediately put them away when you’re done. For household
cleaners, you may want to consider using
non-toxic versions
that can be made using common products.
Button batteries
Search your home and collect any items that may contain button batteries.
They include, but aren’t limited to:
• Remote controls
• Singing greeting cards
• Digital scales
• Watches
• Hearing aids
• Thermometers
• Toys
• Calculators
• Key fobs
• Flameless or tea light candles
• Flashing holiday jewelry and decorations
These items should be kept out of sight from your children. If that’s not
possible for some items, make sure your children can’t access them when
you’re not in the room.
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide is a
colorless, odorless gas
produced by burning carbon-based fuels. Exposure to this dangerous gas leads
to more than 400 deaths and about 50,000 visits to the emergency room each
year. To protect your children (and the rest of your family) from carbon
monoxide poisoning, have all fuel-burning appliances and home heating
systems inspected annually. You should also never burn charcoal or operate a
gasoline-powered generator inside your home.
Install carbon monoxide detectors
on each floor in your home, in bedrooms and kitchens, and near fuel-burning
appliances, such as furnaces or water heaters. Change their batteries twice
a year or use devices with sealed 10-year batteries.
Lead
If your home was built before 1978, check it for
lead-based paint. If you find it, test your child for lead exposure and hire a professional
who can limit how much you and your family are exposed to it until it’s
safely removed. For added safety, routinely check
recalls.gov
for more information on recalls of products containing lead.
Plants
Indoor plants can be a healthy addition to your home, but some can pose a serious threat if they’re mistakenly eaten. While the
best way to prevent an accident is to only use fake plants, any live ones
you do have should be kept out of your child’s reach. It’s also a good idea
to
familiarize yourself with each plant’s botanical and common name, the toxic part of the plant, and any symptoms of poisoning you should
watch out for.
Your yard can also contain hazardous plants, so be sure to identify and
remove any
potentially dangerous ones
from your property. It’s also important to educate your kids about the
dangers of eating unknown plants or mushrooms and supervise them while
playing outside. And if you use fertilizers, pesticides, or any other
gardening products, keep them in a secure location.
Alcohol
If you’re drinking an alcohol beverage, always keep an eye on your glass to
make sure your child cannot drink it when you’re not looking. Bottles of
alcohol should be kept it in a locked cabinet, cupboard, or closet that
children can’t access.
In the event of an emergency
Keep the Poison Control Hotline number (800-222-1222) where you can access
it when needed. The same goes for the National Battery Ingestion Hotline
number (800-498-8666).
You can also download the Poison Control app and bookmark
poisonhelp.org, which is the official website of the 55
U.S. Poison Centers.