Prepare, Prevent and Protect Children from Unintentional Poisoning
Every day more than 300 children are treated in emergency departments in the United States, and two children die from poisoning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, data indicates the United States Poison Control Centers are alerted of a poison exposure nearly every 15 seconds. While we often consider our homes to be safe, this is where nearly 90% of incidents occur. During NationalPoison Prevention Week, March 19 - 25, 2023, these risks are brought to the forefront. The week serves as an important reminder that some of the deadliest and most dangerous items in our homes may be hiding in plain sight.
Medication dosing mistakes and unsupervised ingestions are the most common ways that children are poisoned. Look under your kitchen or bathroom sink, in your medicine cabinet, around the garage, or laundry room. Household cleaning agents, prescription medications, pesticides, and other items can pose serious hazards to the health and well-being of our families and even our pets. Active, curious children may accidentally ingest something that they can easily access, especially if it resembles the look of a favorite candy or drink and they cannot read the label. Children may have trouble differentiating fruit snacks from gummy vitamins, a piece of chocolate from laxatives, water from rubbing alcohol or bleach, and a sports drinks or juice from window cleaners, mouthwash, or liquid medication.
Living with chemicals is a reality, but you can make informed decisions about the type of products you bring into your home. Understanding the risks and limiting exposure are paramount to keeping your family safe. Before you buy, read the label. Caution indicates the lowest level of potential harm; Warning indicates a higher level of potential harm, meaning you could become seriously ill or injured; and Danger indicates the highest level of potential harm, which may include tissue damage to skin, blindness, death or damage to the mouth, throat or stomach if swallowed.
As parents, grandparents, and care givers, it is our responsibility to keep our children safe. Let’s be proactive by following these five safety tips:
Label harmful products and place them out of the reach of children.
Periodically clean out storage cabinets and carefully follow disposal instructions indicated on product labels.
Avoid transferring chemicals from their original container.
Add the universal Poison Control Center telephone number (1-800-222-1222) to your telephone contact list in your cell phone, as well as a putting the number in a readily available location in case of an emergency.
In 2022, chemical safety was taught at nearly 50% of all Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® programs offered throughout North America. Youth participants learned about common poison look-a-likes and tested their knowledge to see the difficulty in distinguishing poisons from other safe items during hands-on lessons. Other demonstrations highlighted the importance of reading the label and the role various personal protective equipment (PPE) plays when handling chemicals around the home, on the farm or on the ranch.
The “Safety Day Corner” is a safety message by the Progressive Agriculture Foundation® (PAF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, with the mission to provide education, training, and resources to make farm, ranch, and rural life safer and healthier for all children and their communities. Recognized as the largest rural safety and health education program for children in North America, the Foundation’s Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® program, has reached millions of individuals since 1995. For more information about PAF and its programs, visit: www.progressiveag.org.