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Sonja Brownlee, MD.
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Last Updated 3/2011
The information contained on this web site is not a substitute for direct examination and treatment by a physician. If any of this material is unclear or confusing, or if you have additional questions or concerns, please call the office at 778-6762.
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Poison Proofing Your Home
Most household poisonings happen in children less than 5 years of age. Children like to put things into their mouths and to taste things. This is a natural way for them to learn about the world around them. Children also copy adults without knowing what they are doing. No matter how awful smelling or looking something is, a young child will still try to mouth or taste it.
Most poisonings happen when parents are distracted. The hectic routine of getting dinner on the table at the end of the day causes so many lapses in parental attention that late afternoon is known as "the arsenic hour" by poison control personnel. The best way to prevent poisonings is to lock up all toxic substances where your child cannot get to them. Be sure any visitor places their purse out of reach – many women carry medications in their purse (Tylenol and multivitamins are the most common poisons ingested!). Keep Poison Control’s phone number (1-800-222-1222) posted by every phone in your home and record it in your cell phone for easy access.Also, watch your child even more closely whenever you are somewhere that is not childproofed. Be especially attentive when your child is visiting another home, or a grandparent's home, where childproofing may not have been done. Keep Poison Control's phone number (1-800-222-1222) in your child's diaper bag, in your wallet, and recorded on your cell phone.
The common household poisons are:
- drugs and medications (iron medications are one of the most common causes of poisonings in children under age 5)
- cleaning products
- plants
- cosmetics
- pesticides and weed killers
- paints and solvents
- antifreeze and car care products
Treatment of Swallowed Poison
If you find your child with an open or empty container of a toxic substance, your child may have been poisoned. Stay calm and act quickly. First, get the poison away from your child. If there is still some in your child's mouth, make him spit it out, or remove it with your fingers. Keep this material along with any other evidence that might help determine what was swallowed. Second, check for these signs:
- severe throat pain
- burns on your child's lips or mouth
- breathing difficulty
- unusual drooling, or odd odors to breath
- sudden behavior change (sleepy, irritable, jumpy)
- unexplained stains on clothing
- nausea or vomiting
- convulsions or unconsciousness
- stomach cramps without fever
If any of these signs are present, call 911 immediately. Take the poison container with you to help the doctor determine what was swallowed. Do not make your child vomit, as this may cause further damage. Also, do not follow instructions about poisoning on the label of the container because these are often out of date.
If your child does not have these symptoms, call Poison Control at (800) 222-1222. They will need to know:
- Your name and phone number.
- Your child's name, age, and weight.
- Any medical conditions your child may have.
- Any medications your child may be taking.
- The name of the substance your child swallowed. Read it off the container and spell it.
- The ingredients of the substance your child swallowed if they are listed on the label.
- If your child has swallowed a prescription medicine, give all the information on the label including the name of the drug. If the name of the drug is not on the label, give the name and phone number of the pharmacy, and the date of the prescription.
- What the pill looked like (if you can tell) and if it had any printed numbers on it. If your child swallowed another substance, such as a part of a plant, describe it as much as you can to help identify it.
- The time your child swallowed the poison (or when you found your child), and the amount you think was swallowed.
Treatment of Poison on the Skin
If your child spills a dangerous chemical on his/her body, remove his/her clothes and rinse the skin with lukewarm, not hot, water. If the area shows signs of being burned, continue rinsing for at least 15 minutes, no matter how much your child may protest. Then call Poison Control (800) 222-1222 for further advice. Do not use ointments or grease.
Treatment of Poison in the Eye
Flush your child's eye by holding the eyelid open and pouring a steady stream of lukewarm water into the inner corner. A young child is sure to object to this, so get another adult to hold your child while you rinse the eye. If that is not possible, wrap your child tightly in a towel and clamp him under one arm. This way you will have one hand free to hold the eyelid open and the other to pour in the water. Continue flushing the eye for 15 minutes. Then call Poison Control (800) 222-1222 for further instructions. Do not use an eyecup, eye drops, or ointment unless Poison Control tells you to do so.
Treatment of Exposure to Poisonous Fumes
In the home, poisonous fumes can come from:
- A car running in a closed garage
- Leaky gas vents
- Wood, coal, or kerosene stoves that are not working properly.
If your child is exposed to fumes or gases, get him/her into fresh air right away. If s/he is breathing, call Poison Control (800) 222-1222 for further instructions. If s/he has stopped breathing, start CPR and do not stop until s/he breathes on her own or someone else can take over. If you can, have someone call 911 right away. If you are alone, wait until your child is breathing or, after 1 minute of CPR, call 911.
Poison Proofing Checklist
General Household:
- Keep Poison Control’s phone number (1-800 222-1222) posted next to every phone in your home. Also record it into your cell phone for easy access. Be sure your babysitter knows how to use the number.
- Install and maintain Carbon Monoxide (CO) monitors in your home.
- Keep all drugs and chemicals locked up or out of reach. Store them in childproof containers.
- Place child safety latches on cabinets and drawers that contain objects that might be dangerous to your child.
- Keep all drugs and household products in their original container. Never put dangerous substances into containers that look as if they might hold things your child usually eats or drinks.
- Don't leave medicines or household products sitting out, especially when you are called to the phone or door.
- Don't leave medicine in a purse. Keep your guests' purses out of reach.
- Put alcoholic beverages away after a party. Keep them out of reach of children. Don't leave partly filled glasses or open bottles or cans sitting out.
- Keep cigarettes and ash trays out of reach.
- Keep household plants out of reach.
Kitchen:
- Keep dishwashing soaps, drain cleaner, scouring pads, and oven cleaners out of reach. Do not store them under the sink, even safety latches on the cabinet are no guarantee!
Bathroom:
- Keep toilet cleaner, medicines, sprays, powders, make-up, fingernail polish and remover, hair care products, aftershave, and mouthwash out of reach.
- Both prescription and nonprescription (OTC) medicines can be dangerous. The most dangerous OTC medicines are aspirin and iron pills.
- Buy and keep all medicines in containers with safety caps. Remember, however, that these caps are child-resistant not childproof, so store them in a locked cabinet.
- Flush any leftover prescription medicines down the toilet.
- Do not take medicine in front of small children; they may try to copy you.
- Never say that a medicine is candy in order to get your child to take it.
- Check the label every time you give medication. This will help you to be sure you are giving the right medicine in the right amounts. Mistakes are more common in the middle of the night, so always turn on a light when handling any medication.
Bedroom:
- Don't leave medicine on your dresser or night stand.
- Keep all perfume and make-up out of reach.
Laundry Area:
- Keep detergents, soaps, bleach, fabric softener, and sprays out of reach.
Garage and Basement:
- Keep gasoline and car care products such as antifreeze and grease remover locked up or out of reach. Insect sprays, weed killers, turpentine, paint, and paint thinner should also be kept out of reach. Keep them in their original, labeled containers.
- Read labels on all household products before you buy them. Try to find the least toxic ones for the job. Buy only what you need to use right away.
- Never put poisonous or toxic products in containers that were once used for food, especially empty drink bottles, cans, or cups.
- Never run your car in a closed garage.
- Be sure that coal, wood, or kerosene stoves are in good working order. If you smell gas, turn off the stove or gas burner, leave the house, and call the gas company.
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