Making Your Home a Poison-Safe Zone

Products in your bathroom, kitchen and garage can cause harm to you and your family if used improperly. Seemingly innocuous items can become poisonous if  mistakenly inhaled, swallowed or entered into the body through the eyes, ears or skin.

The following tips can help keep your family safe from poisonous substances. 

• Read labels. Labels tell you how to use the product safely and effectively, and how to store it properly. They also may have first aid instructions and phone numbers to call for help or additional information.
• Leave products in original containers and never transfer substances to food or beverage containers.
• Keep all harmful household cleaners, medications, paints or pesticides in cabinets or drawers that have either a lock or safety latch.
• Not mixing household products together.
• Buy products that have child-resistant packaging.
• Don’t refer to medicines or vitamins as “candy” or other names that appeal to children.
• Store food and cleaners in separate cabinets or rooms.
• Wear protective clothing, such as gloves, long sleeves or shoes, when spraying pesticides or other chemicals.
• Place carbon monoxide detectors in the home. 

The most common poisons for children include cosmetics, cleaning products, personal care products such as deodorant and soap, pain medications and topical preparations, including calamine lotion or diaper rash ointment. 

If a poisoning does occur, call 9-1-1 if the person has collapsed, is having seizures or convulsions or not breathing. If alert and awake, have them spit out any remaining poison. Do not induce vomiting. If poison has come in contact with the skin, remove clothing and rinse with lukewarm water. Flush poison in the eye with room temperature water. 

Poison proofing your home is an important step in keeping your family safe and healthy. For more information, talk with your doctor or visit www.centennialmedcenter.com.