Young Children: Poison's Victims

Children under the age of 5 years old are the most frequent victims of poisoning, and children aged 1 to 3 years are at the highest risk.  Why? Because young children are curious.  They are always exploring.  And one of the main ways your children learn is by putting things into their mouth and tasting them.  Poisoning happens even when adults are nearby.  Since you can't watch your child every moment, you need to poison proof your home.  You also need to develop "safety behaviors" to make sure your child is protected.

Poison-Proofing your home

• Keep all substances in their original, sealed containers.
• Keep labels on all containers - they contain ingredient and sometimes safety information.
• Don't store food or non-food items together.
• Clean up spills immediately
• Buy only nonpoisonous plants while children are small.  Check with the Poison Control Center for safe ones.
• Don't use solid rat or insect poisons on floors or in cabinets.
• Store all poisonous substances in a safe place. "Safe" means out of reach and locked up, not under the kitchen sink or on a shelf in the garage.

Think in terms of your child's age:

• When Children can crawl, perhaps as early  as 8 months, they can reach floor level cabinets.
• As they start to pull themselves to stand, by 9 or 10 months, they can reach table tops, counters, and drawers.
• When they can climb onto a chair, by 1 ½ to 5 years, they can reach upper-level cabinets.  They also can climb stairs and wander throughout he house, basement, and garage.  Your whole house must be poison-proofed.

Safety-Behaviors

• Always ask for child resistant packaging on prescriptions.
• Fasten all safety caps securely.
• Never call medicine "candy"
• Don't take medicine in front of children. They imitate adults.
• Don't leave your purse where a child can get at it.
• Never leave a child alone with a product your using.
• Empty all alcoholic drinks immediately after guests leave.
• Reread the label each time you give your child medicine.
• Watch your child carefully in homes that may not be poison-proofed.
• Be especially careful if you visit elderly people or if they live with you.   Older people often take many medicines.
• Be sure those who care for your children in your absence know correct safety behaviors.

Finally -

• Post the telephone numbers of the nearest Poison Control Center and hospital, your doctor, and an ambulance on your phone or in some other convenient place.
• Know the location of and quickest route to the nearest hospital or emergency center.
• Buy a liquid called Ipecac Syrup at the drugstore - a 1 ounce bottle for each child in your home - and have it on hand. Replace it when the date on the bottle has passed.

If Poisoning Occurs

• If your child does eat or drink a poisonous substance, you must act quickly. Just as important, though, is to act correctly, so stay calm.  Older children may tell you they have swallowed something.  If not, signs and symptoms of poisoning can include traces of substance around or in the mouth, breath odor, burns around the mouth or on the hands, nausea, vomiting, headache, change in skin color, dizziness, or unconsciousness.   Don't wait for symptoms. Even if you just think your child may have been poisoned, act:
  1. Separate the child from the poison. Check the child's mouth and hands for more poison.
  2. Immediately call a Poison Control Center, a hospital, or a doctor.  Take paper, pencil, and the poison and its container to the phone with you.
  3. Write down the instructions you  receive, then follow them carefully and immediately.
     -You may be told to give child liquids - milk or water. - Most likely you will be asked to give Ipecac Syrup to make your child vomit. One or two cups of water or other clear liquid should be given immediately after the Ipecac. 
  4. If you can't reach help immediately by phone, carefully give the Ipecac syrup following the directions on the label. Keep trying to call the Poison Control Center. If you can't reach it, go directly to the emergency room or doctor.

     Caution: Don't use Ipecac Syrup to cause vomiting if your child is unconscious or has swallowed a damaging substance such as acid, lye, drain cleaner, or a petroleum
     product, unless directed by a health care professional.

  5. When you go to the emergency room or doctor's office, always take the drug or poison and its container with you. If you can't identify the poison, take a sample of what your child vomited with you.
  6. Remember that your first action should be to call for help. Only if you can't reach help by telephone should you give your child Ipecac syrup.

Reprinted from Parent Currents (R)