Poisons can be found in every room of the house, and parents should do a thorough walk through to keep children safe, say two Houston-area pediatricians.
Drs. Sally Robinson and Keith Bly of the University of Texas Medical Branch say, “Small children are both curious and fast, so parents have to exercise special care not to leave dangerous products open or within their reach.”
Kitchen
- Be sure detergents, bleaches, cleaners, drain cleaners, soaps and bug killers are kept in a high cupboard with a childproof lock – not under the sink.
- Do not keep products containing lye in your home.
- Keep alcoholic drinks out of reach of children.
- Buy products with child-proof or child-resistant caps.
Bathroom
- Keep soaps, medicines, cosmetics, colognes, toothpaste and mouthwash out of children’s reach, preferably in a locked cabinet.
- Don’t leave pills in an open dish.
Bedroom
- Keep purses, which may contain dangerous materials, out of reach.
- Don’t leave medicines on the nightstand – especially gel caps and other medicines that look like candy.
Living room
- Know the names of all your plants and which are poisonous.
Garage or shed
- Keep insect sprays, lighter fluid, paint, turpentine and other thinners, rust removers, gasoline, oil, fertilizer and plant food, antifreeze, weed killer, bug or rat killers, and all other chemicals out of reach and locked up.
Throughout the house
- Make sure all products – medicine and other things too — are clearly labeled. In an emergency, you need to know exactly what your child ate.
- Houses built or last painted before 1978 may contain lead-based paint. Call the Health Department if you think this might be the case.
If you think a child has been poisoned, call the Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222. Post this number where you can find it easily.
Do NOT use syrup of ipecac before calling the Poison Center.
Source: Galveston Daily News
