Is your home poison safe?

One of the most tragic things I learned in my journalism career is about a child whose esophagus was destroyed when they swallowed lye that was in the home because a parent was making soap.

That’s why every year, I write about National Poison Prevention Week, which is the third full week in March.

More than 2 million poisonings are reported each year to the nation’s poison control centers. Ninety-three percent of poisonings happen at home, and 45 percent of poisonings involve children under the age of 6, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. The majority of fatal poisonings occur among adults, especially older adults.

National Poison Prevention Week was established by the Congress in 1961 to focus national attention on the dangers of poisonings and how to prevent them.

Here’s information from the Health Resources and Services Administration on what to do at the first sign of a poisoning and how to prevent poisonings:

Follow these basic steps at the first sign of a poisoning

If the person isn’t breathing

Call 911.

If the person inhaled poison

Get to fresh air right away. Call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222, which connects you to your local poison center.

If the person has poison on the skin

Take off any clothing the poison touched. Rinse skin with running water for 15 to 20 minutes. Call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

If the person has poison in the eyes

Rinse eyes with running water for 15 to 20 minutes. Call Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

In some cases, you shouldn’t try to give first aid

If the person swallowed the wrong medicine or too much medicine, call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

If my child swallows something poisonous

Right away call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Treatment advice will depend on the type and amount of poison involved. The child’s age, weight, and medical history will affect treatment, too.

Don’t use activated charcoal if you suspect someone has been poisoned

Activated charcoal addresses certain poisons, but it’s difficult to use. Your poison center will decide if activated charcoal should be used. The poison center may call a hospital to advise what type of treatment to use.

Use these prevention tips to avoid accidental poisonings

More than 90 percent of the time, poisonings happen in people’s homes. The majority of these poisonings occur in the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. That is why it’s important to follow simple steps to prevent a poisoning from happening at home.

Teach your family to never touch or put anything in their mouths unless they know what it is. Below are additional tips on how to keep poisonous items safe in your home. 

Medicines 

• Keep all medicines, and potentially poisonous substances, in locked cabinets or out of the reach of children.
• Keep medicines in their original containers, properly labeled, and store them appropriately.
• Never share prescription medicines. If you’re taking more than one drug at a time, check with your health care provider, pharmacist, or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222 to find out more about possible drug interactions.

Carbon monoxide

Have a working carbon monoxide detector in your home. The best places for a CO detector are near bedrooms and close to furnaces.

Household products

• Always follow the instructions on the product label of household cleaners and disinfectants to ensure safe and effective use. They can make you sick when not used properly.
• Be aware bleach is especially toxic and shouldn’t be mixed with anything other than water.
• Keep all household cleaners and potentially poisonous substances in locked cabinets or out of the reach of children.
• Keep products in their original containers. 
• Don’t use food containers, such as cups or bottles, to store household cleaners and other chemicals or products.
• Keep all laundry products locked up, high, and out of the reach of children.
• Don’t use bleach on food products.
• Avoid using household cleaners and disinfectants on hands or skin improperly.

Chemicals 

• Keep all chemicals and potentially poisonous substances in locked cabinets or out of the reach of children.
• Keep antifreeze and all chemicals and household products in their original containers.
• Never mix household or chemical products together. It can create a dangerous gas.

Back to school and art supplies

• Be aware some art products are mixtures of chemicals. They can be dangerous if not used correctly. Make sure children use art products safely by reading and following directions.
• Don’t eat or drink while using art products.
• Wash skin after contact with art products. 
• Clean equipment. Wipe tables, desks, and counters.
• Keep art products in their original containers.

Food

• Wash fruits and vegetables with running water.
• Don’t wash meat, poultry, or eggs.
• Never use commercial cleaning products on food or food packaging.
• Wash your hands and work surfaces before, during, and after preparing food.
• Wash hands and counters before preparing all food.
• Store food at the proper temperatures. Refrigerated foods shouldn’t be left out at temperatures above 40 degrees F.
• Use clean utensils for cooking and serving.

Animals and insects

• Know what poisonous snakes live in your area and wear proper attire such as boots when hiking outdoors.
• Check the label on any insect repellent. Be aware that most contain DEET, which can be poisonous in large quantities.

Plants, mushrooms, and berries

• Be sure that everyone in your family can identify poisonous mushrooms and plants.
• Call your local poison center to learn about common poisonous plants in your area.

This is valuable advice. Although I wrote about accidental poisonings and knew the steps to take to avoid them, each of my daughters had an incident because items weren’t locked up.