Poison Prevention: What You Should Know

The Poison Prevention Week Council states that more than 2 million poisonings are reported each year, with more than 90% of them occurring in the home. A majority of these incidents affect children younger than six years old.

“The good news is that most accidental poisonings among children can be prevented,” says Debbie Leger, RN, BSN, Catawba County’s Safe Kids program coordinator. “The most common culprits are adult medications and household products. Family members should be extra careful to keep these items out of a child’s reach, in childproof containers, and locked up in a secure location.”

In the event of a suspected poisoning, following are Leger’s recommendations:

• Immediately call the Carolinas Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222. They may be able to put your concerns to rest and avoid a trip to the emergency room.

• If treatment is needed, bring your child to the emergency room rather than to a doctor’s office.

• Try to determine what your child consumed, when it was ingested, and how much. If possible, bring it with you to the emergency room.

Additional information about poison prevention and treatment can be found on the Carolinas Poison Center website, www.ncpoisoncenter.org. For information about upcoming poison prevention programs at the Health First Center, please call Debbie Leger at 828/485-2300.