Accidental Poisoning Can be Prevented

Did you know that approximately three million people have contact with a poisonous substance every year? Sadly, many of those are children. Accidental poisonings are most common in children under the age of 5. More than 90% of poison exposures occur in the home with most calls to poison control centers peaking between 4:00 PM and 10:00 PM. The common products that cause poisoning include medications, cleaning supplies, cosmetics and personal care products.

“Ingestion of even one pill of some medications can have serious consequences for children,” said Sundeep Ekbote, MD, Regional Chief Medical Officer and Regional Medical Director Department of Emergency Medicine for Penn Highlands Healthcare.

Follow these guidelines to keep children — and anyone in your home — safe from poisonous substances.

Keep cleaning products and medications out of reach.

All potentially poisonous substances should be stored in their original packaging in either locked cabinets or out of sight and out of reach of children. If you have young children, use traditional liquid or powder laundry detergents instead of detergent packets.

Don’t mix cleaning products together.

Mixing cleaning products can produce extremely dangerous toxins.

“Chlorine gas poisoning causes respiratory symptoms and can damage the circulatory system,” said Dr. Ekbote. “It can be lethal, and there is no cure.”

The CDC advises against mixing together chemicals or cleaning products, and individual substances should be stored in safe places out of the reach of children.

Keep medications with safety caps on.

Children may dislike taking medicine, but never refer to medicine as candy. In addition, you should keep all medications in their original containers with the safety caps. Be aware, however, that safety caps are child resistant, not child proof.

Read labels before using.

Children grow quickly. Every time you give a child medicine, check the label to make sure you give the correct dosage based on their age and weight. And if you’re using liquid medications, use the cup or spoon that came with it. Unlike a kitchen spoon or cup, the dosage device that comes with the medicine is specifically made for administering the correct dosage.

Turn to an ED for help.

Penn Highlands Healthcare provides emergency care throughout Pennsylvania. If you think your condition requires immediate treatment, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For more information, visit www.phhealthcare.org/ED/.