When it comes to the food you prepare, children are such picky eaters. On the other side, those same children will gladly ingest literally everything. Unfortunately, this includes dangerous substances. Due to their innocence, a potential accidental poisoning is a real danger and can happen in the blink of an eye.
According to The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, everyday, 374 children under the age of 18 visit the emergency department due to injesting toxins. And you certainly don’t want your child to be one of those 374 children…
That’s why you should read this article which will help you identify the most common household poisons and how to store toxic items.
Identifying Common Household Poisons
You might think that don’t have poison in your home (we all like to think that we run a safe household). However, a substance doesn’t have to be labeled as poison to be poisonous to your child. Sadly, some common chemicals and substances found in every home are dangerous and poisonous when ingested.
Here are some common poison hazards found in every home:
- Cleaning products – these products contain many harsh chemicals and corrosives. These additives can cause chemical burns to the mouth, throat, esophagus, and the rest of the gastrointestinal system when ingested.
- Medications – when taken by accident and in larger than allowed doses, common meds can cause severe health issues and even death.
- Pesticides – used to kill various pests, pesticides can also kill humans and animals when ingested concentrated and in large doses. Even a small dose can be harmful and cause vomiting…
- Plants – this one might be a bit surprising, but some plants are toxic when touched or eaten.
A newer and overlooked cause of accidental poisioning is marijuana edibles. Children like to sneak sweets, and if we leave edibles laying around–they could get into them! This would mean a trip to the ER and potentially CPS getting involved. (ie: Not the kind of trip you want when having edibles around). Anything like this needs to be used when you’re not caring for kids and locked away in your home. Which brings us to…
Safe Storage Practices
Now that you learned more about common poisons that can be found in every home, you might feel as if your home is one big toxic landmine. However, there are several strategies that will make your home much safer, the first one is knowing which items in your home could be harmful to your family…
It would be perfect if you could store all these dangerous substances in containers and cabinets that are out of your child’s reach. However, that’s not always possible, so lock ’em up!
If your child is old enough to read and understand labels, make sure to label dangerous substances and their containers. Explain to your child the purpose behind these labels. And if he or she is old enough to read the labels, then they are old enough to understand why they should stay away from them.
Teaching Children about Poison Hazards
Age-appropriate education plays a vital role in your child’s safety against poisoning. No matter how many locks you put on dangerous substances in your home, if you don’t educate your child, it will never be enough.
Of course, when your child is still too young to understand, lock your cabinets. But, when your child grows a bit, you will have to educate them about those dangers.
For a start, be aware of what example you set for your children. For instance, if you refer to meds as candy, your child will want to try them too. If you are careless with cleaning products or pesticides, your child will not understand how dangerous these products can be.
Another great way to educate your child about poison hazards is through role-playing and practice. Invent some scenarios in which your child might stumble upon some poisonous substances, and then practice the appropriate response.
Adjust these scenarios to your child’s age. If your child is a toddler, use simpler examples. But with an older child, you can create more elaborate scenarios and establish some rules. Maybe even make a game of it!
Poison Prevention Tips
Will all that being said, here is how to prevent poisoning, apart from the tips above:
- Try to buy cleaning products that are effective but not as harsh and dangerous.
- Also, when and if possible, try to use DIY or natural and safe cleaning products and pesticides. There is a lot of info on the Internet on how to make these products online (but be careful with this).
- If you use harsh cleaning products in areas where your child spends a lot of time, wash these areas with clean water thoroughly. You don’t want the cleaning product residue to end up on your child’s hands or in their mouth.
- Educate yourself on the toxic houseplants, such as dieffenbachia, peace lily, etc., and either get rid of them or put them out of your child’s reach.
- Keep emergency numbers in one visible place, just in case.
- Monitor product recalls. Sometimes manufacturers recall their products because they were proven as too dangerous and poisonous, so watch out for that.
What to Do in Case of a Poisoning
In case your prevention efforts fail and you suspect your child might have ingested something poisonous, you need to stay calm and do this:
- Recognize poisoning symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, confusion, breathing difficulties, abdominal pain, cramps, paleness or flushness of the skin, seizures, and burns around the mouth and lips.
- If you notice one or more of these symptoms, try to figure out what exactly your child has ingested, and dial the local emergency number (even better: the poison control) for your province/state. Stay on the line and explain your emergency. The operator will guide you through the best course of action. Induce vomiting only if the operator suggests it.
- If accidental poisoning occurs, emergency service will either send an ambulance, or you will have to drive your child to the ER personally. Choose the faster option, as every minute counts.
Keeping Your Little Ones Safe from Accidental Poisoning
Accidental poisoning is no joke, as these incidents send hundreds of children to the ER every day. However, by identifying potentially poisonous substances in your home, safely storing them away, and educating your child about these hazards, you can prevent your child from becoming a statistic.
Don’t underestimate the importance of prevention. It is much easier to prevent poison hazards from hurting your child than to deal with the consequences later.
Ever had a close call with a poisoning? Got any go-to safety tips that help keep your little ones out of trouble? Drop your thoughts in the comments…
Be aware, and stay safe!
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