According to
statistics from the National Safety Council, almost 53 percent of
the poisonings that occurred in the year 2000 involved children
under 6 years of age, and most of these poisonings involved common
medicines and household chemicals found in the home.
GOOD
HOUSEKEEPING RULES to keep poisonous substances away from
your child:
Medicines
and household chemicals on kitchen counters or bathroom surfaces
are very appealing to young children. So it is very important
to keep these products (see checklist below) out of reach and
out of sight of youngsters and locked up when not in use. Easy-to-install
safety latches can be purchased at Wal-Mart, Target or any other
store that sells hardware products.
When medicines
and household chemicals are in use, never let them out of your
sight—even if you must take them along when answering the
telephone or the doorbell.
Store all
medicines separately from household products, and store all household
chemical products away from food.
Keep items
in their original containers.
Leave the
original labels on all products, and read the label before using.
Always leave
the light on when giving or taking medicines.
Avoid taking
medicines in front of children, since youngsters tend to imitate
grown-ups.
Refer to
medicine as "medicine"—not "candy."
Clean out
the medicine cabinet periodically, and safely dispose of unneeded
medicines when the illness for which they were prescribed is over.
If you have questions about disposal of medications, ask your
pharmacist for help.
Finally,
use safety packaging properly by closing the container securely
after use.
CHECKLIST
OF HOUSEHOLD ITEMS THAT POSE A POISON THREAT.
