Many of us worry about dangers to our children in the outside world like driving or flying in airplanes, but we forget about the dangers lurking in our own homes. One primary danger is accidental poisoning from common household products and medications. Each year, approximately 800,000 children are rushed to the emergency room in the U.S. due to accidental poisoning. Accidental poisoning is the second most common cause of unintentional injury death in the U.S. behind car crashes according to the CDC. In fact, about 90% of child poisonings occur in the home.
Follow these important safety tips to ensure that your child does not become a victim of accidental poisoning.
- Be Prepared: Keep the Poison Control helpline phone number (1-800-222-1222) near every telephone in your home and on your cellphone. You never know when you will need it. Calls to the hotline are free and it is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Be Present: Don’t become distracted when dealing with potentially harmful household chemicals or medications. Store all household products and medicine out of reach and out of sight of children. Be aware when you are taking or giving medicine to not leave it on a counter where a child can quickly grab it. Don’t be distracted when dealing with medicines and household products. If you need to leave the area, take your child with you. And always close and tighten child-safety caps on bottles.
- Think of Others: Don’t forget that when visitors come to your home they may have medications in their bags that are not safely stored. Ask when they arrive and ensure that the medications are properly secured and your child can’t get to them.
- Consider Your Language: Some parents may be tempted to call medicine “candy” in order to get their children to take it. Don’t. If children associate medicine with candy they will be more likely to eat any that they get their hands on. Some types of pills are so potent that just one pill can kill a small child.
- ID Your Plants: Some plants can be poisonous to children. Get rid of any poisonous plants in your home or store them in the backyard up high where your child cannot reach them.
Facing an accidental poisoning can be devastating. When facing the serious injury or death of a loved one from the effects of poisoning you need knowledgeable lawyers who can advise you of your rights. Call the San Francisco attorneys at Alexander Law Group today at 888.777.1776 to learn more.
