No, we are not talking about Skittles! Our own homes are filled with numerous
poisonous items that may look fun, but can be dangerous. It is important to be
mindful of how we use and store these products.
Bath bombs, bath fizzies and other household products can
sometimes look good enough to eat. With their variety of sizes, shapes and
colors they can resemble candy, Kool-Aid or other sweet treats; so it should be
no surprise when young children try to take a bite.
Laundry Pods are the latest craze. With their colorful
swirls in a thin, squishy pillow small hands find these playful and enticing. In 2021, the American Association of Poison Control
Centers (AAPC) managed
9,548 cases related to laundry detergent pod exposure in Children 5 years and
younger - that's almost 800 a month!
To prevent a dangerous event from happening, the AAPC
urges parents and caregivers to:
- Save the Poison Help number, 1-800-222-1222, in your phone. You can also text POISON to 797979 to save the number in your phone.
- Practice
safe storage habits by keeping these types of items up, away and out of sight
of children:
- All medicines and pharmaceuticals
- Tobacco and e-cigarette products
- Alcohol
- Laundry and cleaning supplies
- Pesticides and insect repellents
- Batteries
- Any type of oil or lubricant
- Personal care products
- Other chemicals
- Read and follow labels and directions of any potentially hazardous product, especially medicines.
- Install carbon monoxide detectors in your home. Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas.
- Practice safe food preparation and handling.
Call the Poison Help Hotline at 1-800-222-1222 immediately if you suspect a child has come in
contact with any harmful substance.
If you have questions about the safety of your home you
can request
a visit from our Healthy
Neighborhoods Program. This program is FREE to all Clinton
County residents regardless of age or income.
Heather
Alden
Public
Health Educator
Healthy
Neighborhoods Program
Environmental
Health and Safety Division
