From a child's point of view, brightly colored bottles of detergent can look like Kool-Aid and shiny, round pills can look like candy. But because children are smaller and have faster metabolisms than adults, just a taste can be enough to make children ill, or even kill them.
Poison control centers in the United States receive 1.2 million calls each year as a result of unintentional poisonings involving children ages 5 and under. Nearly 90 percent of these toxic exposures occur in the home, and 60 percent involve non-pharmaceutical products such as cosmetics, cleansers, personal care products, plants, pesticides, art supplies, alcohol and toys.

While child-resistant packaging has saved many lives, there is still much that parents and other caregivers can do to help protect their kids. At Safe Kids East Central and the MCG Children's Medical Center, we provide the following information to our families:

1. When not in use, keep all poisons high up in a locked cabinet. But continue to also actively supervise your children. Remember when you were a kid and climbed chairs or used keys to “explore?”

2. Stay alert while using cleaning products or other potentially harmful substances. Never leave children alone, even for a few seconds, with an open container of something you wouldn't want them to ingest.

3. Know what to do. Make sure you and your babysitters know the poison control hotline number, 800-222-1222, as well as the number for your local ambulance service, if it is not 911. If you suspect poisoning, call poison control immediately, and do not induce vomiting or give the child any fluid or medication unless directed. Call 911, not poison control, if a child is choking, having trouble breathing or having a seizure.

4. Test your home for lead and carbon monoxide. Both lead and carbon monoxide can make children seriously ill.

5. Don't refer to medicine or vitamins as candy. Even multivitamins can poison a small child who swallows too many. Remember to discuss these precautions with grandparents or other relatives who may have medications in their homes, and help them ensure their homes are appropriately childproofed.

6. Learn CPR. It takes only three hours to complete this class. You can learn effective interventions to help save a child.

By Rene Hopkins, Coordinator
Safe Kids East Central
Led by the MCG Children's Medical Center

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