Experts urge parents to keep children safe from poisons this summer
April 2, 2003 12:00 am
Curious children have time to explore during summer vacation months, but at the height of the season, poison control centers in the United States answer a thousand more calls a day than in the winter months.
The more than 6,600 daily emergency calls are a jump from winter months because plants, berries and mushrooms and critters that bite and sting are attractive to children, said Rose Ann Soloway, associate director of the American Association of Poison Control Centers.
“You've got lighter fluid out for the grill, lawn and garden chemicals are lying around after being stored all winter - there tend to be more hazards during the summer,” Soloway said.
Children most often ingest plants, foreign objects, cosmetics, personal care products and household cleaners. Adults most often ingest pain relief medication, sedatives, anti-depressants and household cleaners, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control.
“When you're in your own home, it may be poison proof, but not when you're in other people's homes or while traveling,” Soloway said. “When you go visit thee grandparents or stay in hotels, potential hazards are more accessible.”
Ninety percent of all poison exposures occur in the home and almost 53 percent of people exposed are under the age of 6, according to the CDC.
Ken Giles, whose work with the U.S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission focuses on poisoning prevention, said child-resistant packaging can deter or delay a poison exposure.
Data has shown that such packaging works and has saved hundreds of lives. About 30 medications and chemicals require child-resistant packaging.
"For aspirin and oral prescription medicine, special packaging has saved the lives of more than 900 children since the early 1970s," said Hal Stratton, CPSC chairman.
But child-resistant does not mean child-proof, Giles said.
Resistant packaging is good, but some older children can get around it. Parents should keep chemicals and medications locked up, out of sight and out of reach, he said.
And in an emergency, always call the poison control center before doing anything, Giles said.
The universal poison control center number, 1-800-222-1222, was instituted in January 2002 and received more than a million calls in the first year of operation.
“The 1-800 number transfers you to your closest center and to a live person who can talk you through an emergency,” he said. “ And it can save you health costs if you don't go to the hospital.”
Giles said 911 responders are trained to send poison calls to a poison control center where a professionally trained toxicologist or pharmacist can give detailed information on what not to do.
The CDC advises parents to keep a bottle of syrup of ipecac, which induces vomiting about a half hour after ingestion, but to use it only if the poison center advises it.
For example, Giles said, it's wrong to induce vomiting if a child swallows hydrocarbons, such as gasoline, wood preservatives, paint removers and some baby oils. Upon vomiting, the hydrocarbon can enter the lungs, prevent breathing and the child could die, Giles said.
Soloway said about 75 percent of poison exposures are treated over the phone.
If someone is poisoned and is unconscious, not breathing or having seizures, call 911. Otherwise call poison control, she said. The 65 poison control centers in the United States on average receive one call every 15 seconds.
Soloway said the experts at poison control centers will determine what treatment is necessary, whether it's watching and waiting, diluting a chemical or inducing vomiting.
Heart disease, blood pressure and diabetes medication along with iron pills are especially dangerous to children, Soloway said.
Many plants and wild mushrooms, that only an expert can tell apart, can also be poisonous or a choking hazard for small children, she said.
According to the Arizona Poison & Drug Information Center, parts of aloe plants, azalea bushes, bird of paradise seeds and pods, daffodils and holly berries can make a curious child ill. Ingesting most plants, however, will not cause death.
“If something happens, just call right away,” Soloway said. “Don't wait to see if something will happen or worry that something will happen. Just call and find out.”
Soloway said in 2002 poison centers received 2.3 million calls
The American Association of Poison Control Centers also advises:
1. Never let young children out of your sight when potentially poisonous products are in use, even if you have to take them along to answer the phone or doorbell.
2. Keep medications and chemicals in original containers.
3. Leave the original labels on all products and read the label before using them.
4. Do not put decorative lamps and candles that contain lamp oil where children can reach them. Lamp oil can be very toxic.
5. Always leave the light on when giving or taking medicine. Check the dosage every time.
6. Avoid taking medicine in front of children. Refer to medicine as "medicine," not "candy."
7. Clean out the medicine cabinet periodically and safely dispose of unneeded and outdated medicines.
Curious children have time to explore during summer vacation months, but at the height of the season, poison control centers in the United States answer a thousand more calls a day than in the winter months.The more than 6,600 daily emergency calls are a jump from winter months because plants, berries and mushrooms and critters that bite and sting are attractive to children, said Rose Ann Soloway, associate director of the American Association of Poison Control Centers.
“You've got lighter fluid out for the grill, lawn and garden chemicals are lying around after being stored all winter - there tend to be more hazards during the summer,” Soloway said.
Children most often ingest plants, foreign objects, cosmetics, personal care products and household cleaners. Adults most often ingest pain relief medication, sedatives, anti-depressants and household cleaners, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control.
“When you're in your own home, it may be poison proof, but not when you're in other people's homes or while traveling,” Soloway said. “When you go visit thee grandparents or stay in hotels, potential hazards are more accessible.”
Ninety percent of all poison exposures occur in the home and almost 53 percent of people exposed are under the age of 6, according to the CDC.
Ken Giles, whose work with the U.S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission focuses on poisoning prevention, said child-resistant packaging can deter or delay a poison exposure.
Data has shown that such packaging works and has saved hundreds of lives. About 30 medications and chemicals require child-resistant packaging.
"For aspirin and oral prescription medicine, special packaging has saved the lives of more than 900 children since the early 1970s," said Hal Stratton, CPSC chairman.
But child-resistant does not mean child-proof, Giles said.
Resistant packaging is good, but some older children can get around it. Parents should keep chemicals and medications locked up, out of sight and out of reach, he said.
And in an emergency, always call the poison control center before doing anything, Giles said.
The universal poison control center number, 1-800-222-1222, was instituted in January 2002 and received more than a million calls in the first year of operation.
“The 1-800 number transfers you to your closest center and to a live person who can talk you through an emergency,” he said. “ And it can save you health costs if you don't go to the hospital.”
Giles said 911 responders are trained to send poison calls to a poison control center where a professionally trained toxicologist or pharmacist can give detailed information on what not to do.
The CDC advises parents to keep a bottle of syrup of ipecac, which induces vomiting about a half hour after ingestion, but to use it only if the poison center advises it.
For example, Giles said, it's wrong to induce vomiting if a child swallows hydrocarbons, such as gasoline, wood preservatives, paint removers and some baby oils. Upon vomiting, the hydrocarbon can enter the lungs, prevent breathing and the child could die, Giles said.
Soloway said about 75 percent of poison exposures are treated over the phone.
If someone is poisoned and is unconscious, not breathing or having seizures, call 911. Otherwise call poison control, she said. The 65 poison control centers in the United States on average receive one call every 15 seconds.
Soloway said the experts at poison control centers will determine what treatment is necessary, whether it's watching and waiting, diluting a chemical or inducing vomiting.
Heart disease, blood pressure and diabetes medication along with iron pills are especially dangerous to children, Soloway said.
Many plants and wild mushrooms, that only an expert can tell apart, can also be poisonous or a choking hazard for small children, she said.
According to the Arizona Poison & Drug Information Center, parts of aloe plants, azalea bushes, bird of paradise seeds and pods, daffodils and holly berries can make a curious child ill. Ingesting most plants, however, will not cause death.
“If something happens, just call right away,” Soloway said. “Don't wait to see if something will happen or worry that something will happen. Just call and find out.”
Soloway said in 2002 poison centers received 2.3 million calls
The American Association of Poison Control Centers also advises:
1. Never let young children out of your sight when potentially poisonous products are in use, even if you have to take them along to answer the phone or doorbell.
2. Keep medications and chemicals in original containers.
3. Leave the original labels on all products and read the label before using them.
4. Do not put decorative lamps and candles that contain lamp oil where children can reach them. Lamp oil can be very toxic.
5. Always leave the light on when giving or taking medicine. Check the dosage every time.
6. Avoid taking medicine in front of children. Refer to medicine as "medicine," not "candy."
7. Clean out the medicine cabinet periodically and safely dispose of unneeded and outdated medicines.
