What Do You Know About Poison Prevention?

The highest number of carbon monoxide deaths occurs during the winter months, the CDC says. The most common poisons children are exposed to are in household products, including cosmetics, personal care products, cleaning substances, and pain relievers. The most common poisons for adults are pain relievers, sedatives, cleaning substances, and antidepressants, the CDC says.

Plus, you should know that childproof caps aren't really childproof, says the AAPCC. They resist a child's attempt to open them, but given enough time, a child can still open a container with one of these caps.

You should take your medicine with a light on to make sure you have the right medicine and the correct dose. Throw away outdated medicines. Most can be disposed of by putting them in the trash; a few should be flushed down the toilet – check the patient information that came with the medication to find out for sure. You can also check locally to see if your community has a “take back” program to dispose of old medications. If you have questions about the medicines you take, talk with your health care provider.

The toll-free number for the control center is 800-222-1222. If the child has collapsed or is not breathing, call 911. The American Academy of Pediatrics and other child health experts no longer recommend that parents give children syrup of ipecac.

You should also be able to tell the center the condition of the child, how much of the product was taken, the child's weight, and your name and phone number. You can find out more poison information about a household product by checking the Household Products Database, at http://hpd.nlm.nih.gov, which is maintained by the National Library of Medicine. The database lists products by name, category, and ingredients.

Other recommendations: Keep household chemicals in their original containers; don't put them in food containers. Carefully read and follow the directions and caution labels on products before using them. When spraying products, make sure the spray nozzle is directed away from your face and other people. If you are using a product around a child and need to leave the room, take the child with you.

It's important to stay away from pesticide areas, because these chemicals can be absorbed through the skin and are quite toxic. Wild mushrooms may be poisonous; in rainy weather, mushrooms may be plentiful. Pay attention not only to berries growing in the yard, but also the leaves of plants. Just because a wild animal eats a plant or berry doesn't mean it's safe for humans.