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Small children love to explore. And one of the most dangerous areas of the home is any place we store poisons for cleaning, or other types of common substances we might use around the house. So make sure that when children are in the house and able to get to those poisons, we use certain procedures to lock up drawers and cupboards to prevent the child from getting into any poisons. It's best to keep poisons stored up really high or out of the reach of children. There are commercially made locks that will help secure cupboard doors and drawers. You can usually buy those at any kind of baby supply store or a hardware store. One complicating factor is that many times chemicals can look like something good to drink. Often they're bright blue or another bright color, and that looks like Kool-aid. However, children drinking substances is only part of the problem. Dishwasher cleaning products can look like candy that's good to eat, but another point to cover as we're talking about poisons, is the medicine cabinet. It should be secured just like we do for any other type of cabinet that might have poisons. The problem with medicines is that they sometimes look yummy, like candy, or they're flavored to taste good so kids will take them. Kids don't know how to tell the difference between a medicine that helps them and too much medicine that can hurt or even kill them. So as we look at medicine cabinets, use the same precautions as we did for chemicals. Secure the cabinet closed so that a child doesn't mistakenly poison himself with an overdose. if you suspect poisoning, be alert for clues such as empty pill bottles or packages, scattered pills and burns around their mouth, stains and odors on the person or nearby. Also, consider the possibility that a person may have applied medicated patches. Signs and symptoms of poisoning may include: Burns or redness around the mouth or lips, breath that smells like chemicals such as gasoline or paint thinner. They may also be vomiting, having difficulty breathing, drowsiness, confusion, or other altered mental status. Now treatments have changed a lot over the years in the area of first aid for poisoning. If you find a child that you suspect as consumed a poison, call Poison Control. The national number is 800-222-1222. They can help you identify the poison and guide you in treating the child. Having the Poison Control Center phone number in a prominent location in your home near the phone is never a bad idea. You want to be able to access it right away if needed. Call 911 and begin CPR immediately if the person shows no signs of life such as not moving or breathing normally. Take note that it may not be the best thing to make the child vomit immediately. Poison Control will guide you in the best care depending on the poison that was ingested. One thing that I like to have around is something that you can pretty much get online, or maybe at the local drugstore. It's called activated charcoal. It's always great to have it on hand because it works great to help neutralize certain poisons. It doesn't mean you'll have to use it every time, but having it in your medicine cabinet and available in case of Poison Control asking for it, is never a bad idea.
Some of the most dangerous areas of any home, especially for young, curious children, are the places where poisons are stored, such as cleaning products and medications.
Limiting access to these areas will always be key to preventing catastrophe. Luckily, there are numerous procedures and products that can easily help secure cupboards, drawers, and cabinets that house these dangers.
A few simple ways to better secure household poisons include:
- Store all medications and dangerous chemicals up high, so they're out of reach for small children
- Purchase commercial made locks at the hardware store
- Use common household items – like rubber bands – to hold cabinet doors shut while you find better options
Warning: It's important to understand how a colorful liquid chemical looks to a child. Those bright colors probably look like Kool-Aid, fruit punch, or the latest soda, and appear more delicious than dangerous.
Chemicals don't have to be in liquid form to be tempting to children. Another common threat lately are the dishwasher and laundry cleaning pods that children routinely mistake as candy.
However, children consuming poisons is just part of the problem.
Kids also don't know the difference between consuming a medication that will help them feel better when they're sick and over-consuming that same medication – something that could hurt them or even kill them.
Then add to this the fact that these medications are often flavored to taste good so that children will take them. Which is why medicine cabinets deserve the same amount of precaution as those cabinets where poisons are stored.
How to Treat for Poisoning
Is you suspect poisoning, the first thing to do is look for clues to corroborate that suspicion, such as:
- Are there pills scattered about?
- Are there empty pill bottles or packages around?
- Does the victim have burns or redness around the lips and mouth?
- Does the victim have unusual stains or odors, particularly breath that smells like gasoline or paint thinner?
- Is the victim exhibiting signs of drowsiness or mental confusion?
- Is the victim having difficulty breathing?
- Has the victim vomited?
Pro Tip #1: First aid treatments for poisoning have changed a lot over the years. Which is why if you suspect poisoning you should call the Poison Control Hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Keep this phone number in a prominent location for quick and easy access.
Poison Control will work with you to first help identify the poison in question. And then will guide you in providing treatment for that poison.
Pro Tip #2: You may have heard to induce vomiting with poison victims. And while this is sometimes true, it's not always true. One more reason to call poison control and get the proper treatment advice based on the poison that was ingested.
Pro Tip #3: One thing to have in your emergency or first aid kit is activated charcoal. Activated charcoal is great for removing stains on teeth and pulling toxins out of the body, and as it pertains to this lesson, neutralizing certain poisons.
Warning: If at any point, the patient goes unconscious or stops showing signs of life (moving, breathing normally, etc.), call 911 immediately and activate EMS.
A Word About How Poison Enters the Body
There are four categories of poisons based on how they enter the body – ingestion, inhalation, absorption, and injection.
Ingestion
This category is for all the poisons that can be swallowed – common food poisoning culprits like mushrooms and shellfish, recreational drugs, medications, alcohol, and household items like cleaning supplies.
Young children are most at risk, as everything they see looks like it should go into their mouths immediately and often does. Older adults are also more at risk, mostly due to medication errors.
Inhalation
Inhaled poisons are those gases and fumes that are poisonous. The most common inhaled poison is carbon monoxide, as it's odorless, colorless, and tasteless. To further complicate matters, exposure can lead to death in mere minutes.
Carbon monoxide comes from car exhaust, tobacco smoke, fires, and defective gas cooking and heating equipment, like furnaces and hot water heaters. Other less common culprits in this category include carbon dioxide, chlorine gas, ammonia, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide, chloroform, dry cleaning solvents, fire extinguisher gases, industrial gases, and hydrogen sulfide.
Absorption
Absorbed poisons can enter the body through the skin or mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, and mouth.
Plants are the biggest offenders when it comes to absorbed poisons, and most of us have probably had a run-in with poison ivy once or twice. Chemicals in fertilizers and pesticides are also commonly absorbed poisons, as are topically applied medications.
Injection
Injected poisons do include those administered by hypodermic needle, such as recreational and medicinal drugs. But more times than not, instances of poisoning by injection are perpetrated through bites and stings. Poisonous snakes, insects, spiders, and marine life are abundant in certain countries, like Australia, while others like their neighbor New Zealand, can boast a total of zero poisonous animals.