(Call 911 if the victim has collapsed or is not breathing. If the victim is awake and alert call 1-800-222-1222 immediately. (Hearing Impaired: 1-888-244-5313) That’s the
National Poison Control Center where help is available 24 hours a day, 365 days
a year. If you think someone has been
poisoned, stay calm and call right away.
+Do NOT wait for the victim to look or feel sick!
The staff at the poison control center will provide quick accurate
poisoning treatment guidance.
When you call the hotline, a registered
nurse, pharmacist or physician who has specialized training in toxicology
answers the phone. Bring the poison with you to the phone; you’ll
need to read information from the bottle's label. You will be asked:
your name, phone number, and zip code
the victim's age and weight
the name of the substance or poison
the time the poisoning took place
the amount of the substance or poison consumed
any symptoms the victim has related to the
poisoning
any current health problems of the victim
any current health problems of the victim
any medicines the victim currently takes
Please note: Ipecac Syrup
is no longer recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The AAP
determined that Syrup of Ipecac does not have a place in home management of
poisoning cases since it has not been associated with improvement in patient
outcome. The AAP recommended that parents no longer keep syrup of ipecac in the
home and that they throw away any they may have on hand.
#Prevention Tips
Accidental poisonings
are preventable.
Know your poisons and
take precautions.
Be aware of the poisonous substances in your
home.
Keep all harmful household products in locked
cabinets with safety latches and/or out of reach and sight of children, even if
you don’t have small children. Many
poisonings happen when children are visiting homes where no small children
live.
Store all household and medicinal products in
their original labeled containers. Do
not use food containers such as milk jugs or soda bottles to store household
products.
Buy and store all medicine and household
products in child-resistant packaging. Remember that child-resistant does not mean childproof; it is only more difficult
to open but given enough time a child will open the container.
If you are using a product and need to answer
the phone or the door, keep the child with you.
Many poisonings occur when the product is in use and an adult is
distracted by the doorbell or telephone.
Store food and household products in separate
areas. Mistaken identity could cause
serious poisoning.
Read all medication labels carefully. At night, turn on the light when you prepare
medicine for your children or yourself so you know you have the correct dose of
the correct medication.
Always return any medicines to safe storage
immediately. Medicines are often
swallowed by young children who find them where they have been left out.
Never refer to medication as candy.
Avoid taking medicines in front of children, who
will often imitate adults.
Clean out your medicine cabinet periodically and
throw away expired medications.
Watch especially those children who have
swallowed a poison; they are likely to try again within a year.
Read and follow the directions and caution labels on
household and chemical products before using them. Never mix two household or
chemical products together. Mixing household products may create toxic
fumes. The combination of bleach and ammonia creates a poisonous gas
(chloramine gas) that causes respiratory problems. The use of varnishes or
paint strippers in poorly ventilated areas can cause headaches, nausea,
vomiting and serious conditions.
Know the names of all the plants in your home
and yard. Teach your children not to eat
mushrooms, berries or leaves growing wild.
Keep children and pets away from plants that
have been recently sprayed with weed killer, fertilizer, or insect killer.
Place carbon monoxide detectors in your home.
Check your home for sources of lead exposure.
Post the Poison Control phone number on or near
the phone and save it in your cell phone.
Every 25 seconds a child is poisoned in the US. Children under the age of seven are at a
great risk for accidental poisoning since they will eat or drink anything, are
curious by nature, investigate their world by putting things in their mouths,
and are attracted to the bright packaging, good smells, and colorful substances
of many products found in the home.
Another age group at increased risk is adults age 25 to 60; members of
this group are unintentionally poisoned when they do not follow label
directions on medications or household chemicals.
We American consumers buy more than 250,000 different
products that are used around our households for medication, cleaning, cosmetic
purposes, eliminating insects, and killing weeds. These items are valuable when used properly,
but misuse can cause serious harm. Each
year more than 23,000 people die and over 2 million suffer as a result of
unintentional home poisoning in the US.
Home
unintentional poisonings are preventable.
We can keep our family members and ourselves safer by being aware of
potential hazards and following these recommendations from the National Safety
Council.
Sharon Kahn RN
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