Prevent Poison Emergencies in Your Home

Remember Mr. Yuk? It’s time to introduce him to your household again as just one serious babyproofing measure in your efforts to prevent any poison emergencies.

In honor of National Poison Prevention Week (March 18-24, 2012), we are highlighting the risks that could exist in your house. If you should suspect a poison emergency, call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at 1-800-222-1222. Program this number into your family’s phones. If your child has collapsed or is not breathing, call 911.

Childproof? Maybe

Your medicines and vitamins look just like candy to your kids. A medicine safe allows you to store all of your pills, potions, and powders in one place and features a locking system that requires adult-sized hands to operate. It’s a necessary safety measure and a big help when it comes to organization too. Just keep it in a high cupboard out of reach of curious hands.

Medications are the predominant cause of poisonings among young children, with more than 60,000 young children admitted to emergency departments each year after getting into medications while unsupervised. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Bathroom Beautiful

Your bathrooms are a haven of poisons: Hair gel, soap, cologne, perfume, aftershave, lotion, powder, hairspray, makeup, mouthwash, and nail polish. These products often smell great, just adding to their appeal. Use a medicine safe in each bathroom to babyproof properly and to also keep dangerous items – including sharp objects like scissors, tweezers, and clippers – far out of reach.

Get Truly Clean

Cleaning products are packaged in such nifty containers with vibrant colors they are most certainly attractive to young children. For poison prevention, keep them all in one place in an extra-large Smart Guard. This box features a convenient carry handle and will keep all of your sprays, wipes, and detergents contained. Not only will this keep prying fingers out of the way of shiny bottles, but having all of your cleaning goods in one place will ultimately be a boon to your housekeeping efforts. 

Household and personal care products, medicines, vitamins, pesticides and plants are among the substances most frequently involved in poison exposures among children. (American Association of Poison Control Centers)

Household Poison Prevention

Some additional precautions: Equip every floor of your home and all sleeping areas with a carbon monoxide detector. Read labels on every product you buy to find out what is poisonous, including plants, toys, and art supplies. Be aware of poisons that could be in your handbag (anti-bacterial lotion) or diaper bag (diaper cream). Never mix cleaning products. Always buy child-resistant packages when available – nothing is foolproof, but every deterrent helps.

Familiarize your child with Mr. Yuk – you can request a free sheet of stickers by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Pittsburgh Poison Center. Get the details here. And don’t just let your kids play with the stickers. Apply Mr. Yuk to the most dangerous products in your home, then lock them up!