March 13, 2003

 

National Poison Prevention Week Is March 16-22

Every year approximately 30 children are killed and nearly one million others have close calls after being exposed to poisonous home products, according to George Maher, North Dakota State University Extension Service agriculture safety specialist.

In recognition of National Poison Prevention Week, March 16-22, Maher has offered the following advice about household poison control:

• Keep medications and chemicals out of sight and locked up. Use caution when storing these items in cupboards and closets. Without locks, these areas are very accessible to toddlers.
• Buy products that are sold with child-resistant packaging, and use the packaging correctly – tighten the cap snugly. Always remember that child-resistant does not mean childproof.
• Keep products in their original containers. Some pesticides look like carbonated beverages.
• Keep all original labels on the containers as well. These labels have critical first aid instructions printed on them.
• Never leave a child alone with an accessible, opened product – not even for a moment.
• Never administer or take medications in the dark. Turn the light on to be sure you have the right medication.
• Do not refer to medicine as ‘candy’ to get a child to take it. This tells the child that the product is something it really isn’t and can be extremely dangerous in the future.
• Dispose of old medications on a regular basis, in a safe manner. Pouring them down the toilet is usually very safe. Also, dispose of the containers so that children will not have access to them.
• Keep the National Poison Control Center Hotline toll-free telephone number, 1-800-222-1222, posted at the telephone location.
• Keep a bottle of ipecac syrup on hand, under lock and key, in case the Poison Control Center instructs you to induce vomiting. Follow their instructions carefully, because some poisons cannot be treated in this manner.

"It is clearly up to the parents in the house to maintain a safe environment for their children," Maher says. "Young children are simply too inexperienced to know that there are so many things that can make them sick and even kill them. Adults have to be in control."

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Source: George Maher, (701) 231-8288, george.maher@ndsu.nodak.edu
Writer: Teresa Oe, (701) 231-8371, teresa.oe@ndsu.nodak.edu
Editor: Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.nodak.edu

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