3/19/01
When preparing for the arrival of a child, most prospective parents will evaluate potential dangers in their home and take measures to childproof their surroundings. One important area addressed by parents is that of removing toxic substances from a young child’s environment. Most parents do a good job in protecting their children from accidental poisoning – this is confirmed by the fact that, despite the pervasiveness of toxic household substances, only 29 children nationally died from poisoning in 1996. But accidents do happen; 125,000 children that year either drank a toxic substance or were discovered with an open container in their possession.
One of the problems associated with poison prevention is the fact that so many materials can be hazardous. The definition of a poison is “any substance that can cause harmful effects if used in the wrong way or in the wrong amount.” It can be absorbed into the body when spilled or splashed on the skin or eyes, swallowed, inhaled, or injected under the skin. Given such a broad definition, practically any household product can become poisonous. In fact, an estimated 4 million people are poisoned in the United States each year – 60% of those people are children under the age of six. Children aged one to three are at the highest risk. Common household poisons include any kind of medicine, iron pills, cleaning products, cosmetics and personal care products, pesticides, pool chemicals, gasoline, motor oil, and other automotive supplies, alcohol, tobacco products, and hobby and craft supplies.
Because young children are naturally curious and want to emulate the behaviors of the adults in their lives, they are particularly at risk because they do not know the difference between poisonous and non-poisonous substances. Most poisonings are unintentional, and parents often assume they have adequately protected their children by placing hazardous materials high above the child’s reach. However, children are ingenious when it comes to methods of climbing to high places, and more than one child has been known to ingest substances that a parent thought was out of reach. Parents also assume that the safety caps on medications will prevent their child from gaining access. Safety caps are not childproof, they are merely child resistant, which simply means that 80% of four-year-olds cannot open the container. Since most parents believe their child is above average in other areas, they would be wise to assume their child falls within the 20% who do manage to open safety caps. And child safety locks on cabinet doors and drawers only work for a while; most children figure out how to open them eventually. A better solution for parents is to keep all medications and toxic substances in a locked cabinet, with a key hidden in a safe place.
Most of the time, an adult will not see a child ingest a poison, so adults need to watch for any behavior that seems unusual, such as being sleepy or jittery, or sudden vomiting. Adults should pay attention to strong odors on a child’s breath, or any traces of pills or powders in a child’s mouth or around the lips. Burn marks in or around the mouth might be signs that a caustic substance has been swallowed. And if a child stops breathing, an adult should suspect poisoning may have occurred. If any of these symptoms are present, a poison-control center should be contacted immediately. If the child is unconscious, having seizures, or not breathing, call 911 immediately.
Fortunately, most poisonings can be treated safely at home over the telephone, with the immediate assistance of a poison control center. (In Connecticut, the emergency phone number for the Connecticut Poison Control Center is 800-343-2722, 203-679-3457, and 203-679-4346 TDD.) For poisons that are inhaled, the victim should be moved to some place with fresh air if it can be done safely. If a poison gets on the skin, the contaminated clothing should be removed and the area rinsed with plenty of running water for 15-20 minutes. Similarly, poison in an eye should be flushed with running water for 15-20 minutes. In all situations, it is important to call a poison control center as soon as possible.
Toxic substances that have been swallowed require a little more information in order to successfully treat the victim. If a chemical has been swallowed, drinking a glass of water is advised. If the substance is a medicine, NO liquid should be drunk. Parents should keep a bottle of ipecac syrup and a container of activated charcoal on hand, but NEITHER should be administered unless directed to do so by the poison control center. Ipecac will induce vomiting, which is not always effective, since the stomach is emptied of only a third of its contents in this way. Further, vomiting actually may be harmful, such as in the case of poisoning by a substance that burns. Many times, the poison control center will advise administering activated charcoal, which prevents the absorption of many substances into the bloodstream.
By taking some precautions, many poisonings can be prevented. Some tips to keep in mind include
never put inedible products in food or drink containers.
limitations.
unless instructed to by a poison control center.
using gloves or other protective clothing, and ventilating the area.
an adult they know.
be more careless.
For further information about poisoning, contact the American Association of Poison Control Centers, (203) 362-7217, 3201 New Mexico Ave., Suite 310, Washington, D.C. or email the Association at aapcc@poison.org. They also have a web site with related links at http://www.aapcc.org.