Newark, N.J.--Each year, approximately 2.4 million people - more than half under age six - swallow or have contact with a poisonous substance. More than 90 percent of these poisonings occur in the home. Many caregivers are unaware of the dangers of
unintentional poisonings often related to medicines and household products commonly found in the home, such as personal care products, over-the-counter pain relievers and cleaning substances.
“The American Academy of Pediatrics urges parents to store harmful products out of their children's reach at all times, and to be aware of young children's growing capacities to explore and experiment,” reports Timothy S. Yeh, MD, FAAP, FCCM, Chairman of Pediatrics and Physician-in-Chief, at the Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. “Such natural curiosity can lead to poisonings when chemicals or medications are within reach.”
Poison prevention and appropriate, immediate treatment for poison contact or ingestion are critical to keeping your child safe. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center have some important prevention tips.
To poison proof your home:
Most poisonings occur when parents or caregivers are home but not paying attention. The most dangerous potential poisons are medicines, cleaning products, antifreeze, windshield wiper fluid, pesticides, furniture polish, gasoline, kerosene and lamp oil. Be especially vigilant when there is a change in routine. Holidays, visits to and from grandparents' homes, and other special events may bring greater risk of poisoning if the usual safeguards are defeated or not in place.
- Store medicine, cleaners, paints/varnishes and pesticides in locked cabinets or containers, out of sight and reach of children.
- Store all products in their original containers. DO NOT use food containers such as milk jugs or soda bottles. Mistaken identity could cause a serious poisoning. Many poisonous products look-a-like and come in containers very similar to drinks or food. An example of this is apple juice and pine cleaner.
- Install a safety latch - that locks when you close the door - on child-accessible cabinets containing harmful products.
- Purchase and keep all medicines in containers with safety caps. Discard unused medication. Remember child resistant does not mean child proof.
Never refer to medicine as "candy" or another appealing name.
- Check the label each time you give a child medicine to ensure proper dosage.
- If you are using a product and need to answer the telephone or doorbell, take the child with you. Most poisonings occur when the product is in use.
- Keep coal, wood or kerosene stoves in safe working order.
- Maintain working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
- Pesticides can be absorbed through the skin and can be extremely toxic. Keep children away from areas that have recently been sprayed.
- Keep the number of your local Poison Control Center on your telephone. The new national toll-free telephone number for poison control centers is (800) 222-1222.
Treatment
If your child is unconscious, not breathing, or having convulsions or seizures due to poison contact or ingestion, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. If your child has come in contact with poison, and has mild or no symptoms, call your poison control center.
Different types and methods of poisoning require different, immediate treatment:
- Swallowed poison - Have the child spit out any remaining substance. Do not make your child vomit. Do not use syrup of ipecac.
- Skin poison -- Remove the child's clothes and rinse the skin with lukewarm water for at least 15 minutes.
- Eye poison -- Flush the child's eye by holding the eyelid open and pouring a steady stream of room temperature water into the inner corner.
- Poisonous fumes - Take the child outside or into fresh air immediately. If the child has stopped breathing, start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and do not stop until the child breathes on his or her own, or until someone can take over.
For More Information
The phone number for Children’s Hospital at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, located at 201 Lyons Avenue at Osborne Terrace in Newark, is (973) 926-7000. Or visit www.barnabashealth.org. For physician referral information, call 1-888-724-7123.
About Children's Hospital
Children's Hospital is the state's premier hospital caring for children, with specialized services to treat ill and injured children from newborn to adolescent years as well as preventive programs that promote wellness in the community. Children's Hospital of New Jersey is an affiliate of the Saint Barnabas Health Care System, the largest integrated health care delivery system in the state.
As a hospital devoted only to children, Children's Hospital of New Jersey recognizes that the special needs of children and their families extend far beyond clinical interventions. The facility provides an atmosphere of caring and warmth that complements the extraordinary medical care that is delivered by medical and surgical specialists who are all dedicated exclusively to children's health. The hospital's comprehensive inpatient and outpatient pediatric services include a licensed cardiac surgery program, state-designated regional perinatal center, the state’s largest pediatric intensive care unit, pediatric emergency department, Neonatal Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)/Apnea Center, Valerie Fund Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, neonatal ICU with New Jersey's only ECMO unit, HIV/AIDS treatment for children as well as a sexual and child abuse program.
For a referral to a pediatrician or pediatric specialist, please call 1-888-724-7123.
DATE: March 10 , 2008
CONTACT: Beth Salamon, Public Relations (973) 322-4926
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