Poisoning. Accidental poisoning is the fourth leading cause of death among children under the age of ten. Childhood poisonings are also theoretically 100% preventable. Identifying those potentially harmful items in your home and preventing your child’s access to them is your responsibility as a parent.
The causes of childhood poisoning fall into two categories, drug related and non-drug related, with roughly equal frequency. We all know the importance of keeping prescription medications away form our children, but it is equally important to take great care with those that are available over the counter as well. Analgesics such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen and aspirin are the most common drugs children ingest. Topical ointments and cough and cold medicines are next on the frequency list.
New regulations will soon require safety caps for a wider range of consumer products, primarily oily hydrocarbons (such as baby oils, sunscreens and bath, body, and massage oils) that are thin and slippery and may suffocate children (or cause chemical pneumonia) if drawn into their lungs when drinking them.
The bulk of childhood poisonings (and deaths) occur under the age of six with the highest frequency occurring from one to three years of age. It is important to recognize, however, that accidental poisonings are not limited to just infants and toddlers since older children have more physical ability to get to dangerous items.
Preventing poisonings from occurring is easy: identify the bad stuff and keep it away from your kids. Practically, this means taking all medications, cleaners, cosmetics and chemicals and securing them in locked cabinets – preferably up and out of reach. Standard plastic cabinet latches are not sufficient for these high hazard items. Use key-lockable cabinets or install magnetic Tot-Loks (available at most home centers).
Many children get their hands on medication from their mother’s or their grandmother’s purse. For this reason, be sure to keep purses up and out of reach. Also, do not store even small amounts of medications in plastic bags or non child resistant containers.
The same concept applies for chemicals. Many children are inadvertently poisoned when parents store paints, solvents or cleaners in beverage containers. Never use a food or beverage container even for the temporary storage of something that could poison a child.
Should these preventive measures fail, be prepared to react quickly to a possible poisoning. The California Poison Control System (1-800-8 POISON) is a fabulous resource with experts standing by to give you emergency instruction and guidance. Learn CPR and choking first aid. Finally, syrup of Ipecac is still of some use, but primarily related to mushroom related poisonings.