What produces more fear than scanning a full cart of groceries then remembering too late that you left your wallet at home? Having to make a call to Poison Control! The adrenaline surges, your heart pounds and your mouth becomes drier than a Sahara mirage as your “Parent of the Year” crown is stripped away with the push of your speed dial.
Who Is at Risk?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), “Each year, approximately 2.4 million people—more than half under age 6—swallow or have contact with a poisonous substance.”
The Kansas City Metro’s Poison Control Center, in operation since 1982, fields approximately 30,000 calls every year. Dr. Tama Sawyer is director of the center, run by the University of Kansas Hospital. “Poisoning overtook motor vehicle accidents as the number one cause of deaths in the U.S. last year. The numbers keep increasing,” she says. “It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, old or young; it can happen to anyone.”
The center’s busiest hours are near the end of the day.“The biggest time for calls to our center is at 4:00 p.m., when moms are getting dinner ready and ask the older kids to watch out for the toddlers,” Sawyer says.
She also warns that when kids travel to their grandparents’ houses for babysitting or family get-togethers, “daily pill reminders are great for grandparents but NOT for kids.” These containers are usually kept easily visible for the grandparent so they won’t forget to take their medications—which are terribly dangerous for children. Giving children access to all these small, pretty-colored pills is like opening up a toxic candy store for young kids.
Common Calls to Poison Control
The American Association of Poison Control Centers says the majority of calls occur when someone is home with the child but just not paying attention. Make sure to lock up these items or keep them out of reach:
- Medicines (vitamins, herbals, pain medications, diaper rash creams)
- Foreign objects (silica gel packages, glow products, batteries)
- Cleaning products (laundry detergent, floor cleaners, furniture polish)
- Cosmetics (makeup, perfume, nail polish, nail polish remover)
- Personal care products (deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, liquid soap)
- Garage items (antifreeze, windshield wiper fluid, pesticides, gasoline, kerosene and lamp oil)
Treatment
The AAP states if a 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 contact with a poison, and the child has either no symptoms or mild symptoms, first aid should be performed first and THEN poison control should be called immediately at 1.800.222.1222.
If your child has…
- Swallowed poison: Take leftover poison away from child and have her spit out any remainder from her mouth. Do NOT have her vomit!! Do NOT use syrup of ipecac.
- Poison on the skin: Remove child’s clothing and rinse his skin directly with lukewarm water for at least 15 minutes.
- Poison in the eye: Wash child’s eye by holding the eyelid open and pouring a continuous flow of body temperature water into the inner corner for 15 minutes.
- Poison fumes: Take child into fresh air immediately. If the child isn’t breathing, start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and continue until the child breathes on his own or until someone can take over. (Source: American Academy of Pediatrics)
What is the benefit of calling the poison center?
Poison centers are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and staffed with poison experts. The conversations are FREE and CONFIDENTIAL. Because many poison exposures may not require medical attention and can be dealt with in your own home, it is best to find this out over the phone without having an ambulance or emergency room bill to pay for the same answer. Remember to act swiftly and always have the center’s number readily available!
Stacey Hatton is a pediatric RN and freelance writer. Her blog can be found at http://NurseMommyLaughs.com.