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Each year many children are poisoned in their homes, garages or yards. With some simple steps, such poisonings are almost entirely preventable. The American Academy of Pediatrics makes these recommendations for poison-proofing your home:
* Store drugs and medications in a medicine cabinet that is locked or out of reach. Do not keep toothpaste in the same cabinet.
* Buy and keep medication in containers with child-proof caps. Discard prescription drugs after taking the prescribed amount.
* Do not take medicine in front of small children. Never coax a child into taking medicine by calling it candy.
* Check the label every time you give medicine, when you pick it up, before giving it, and when you put it back. This ensures that you will be giving the right medicine and the correct dosage. At night, always turn on the light to avoid mistakes.
* Read labels on all household products before you buy them. Find the least toxic ones for the job. Buy only what you need to use right away.
* Store hazardous products in locked cabinets that are out of your child's reach. Do not keep detergents, treatment for blocked drains and other cleaning products under the kitchen sink unless the cabinet has a safety lock.
* Never put poisonous or toxic products in containers that were once used for food.
* Never run your car in a closed garage. Be sure that coal, wood, or kerosene stoves are properly maintained. If you smell gas, turn off the stove or gas burner, leave the house, and then call the gas company.
* Keep a small bottle of syrup of ipecac on hand. Store it out of reach with your other medicines. Use it only when and as directed by your local poison control center or your pediatrician.
* Post the number for the poison control center near every telephone in your home, along with emergency numbers. Be sure the baby sitter knows how to use these numbers.
More poison control tips include:
* Keep all plants, cosmetics, and alcoholic beverages away from children's reach.
* Use only lead-free paint or non-toxic finishes on furniture and toys that children may chew on.
* Be very careful not to let your child get into a purse that may contain aspirin or other drugs.
An ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure. Take these steps and protect our children.
Copyright © 1997 National Health Enhancement Systems, Inc.
(602) 230-7575. All rights reserved. Information in this document is subject to change
without notice.
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