Radio Commentary
We’ve made a lot of progress in
reducing the number of children accidentally poisoned each year. Much of the
credit is due to public education on the topic.
In the
‘60s, more than 450 children under the age of 5 were dying from accidental
poisoning each year. That total has fallen to about 30. But it’s still too
high.
Simple precautions remain critical:
• Keep medicines in their original
child-proof containers, stored out of reach.
• Follow doctor’s instructions
carefully when giving medicine to children.
• Store household cleaners safely—a
high percentage of poisonings involve everyday cleaning products, cosmetics,
cough and cold remedies, antibiotics, and vitamins.
• Teach children never to
eat anything you haven’t approved.
A typical household contains
products such as bleach, fertilizers, or paint stripper that can be fatal to a
child.
If your
child swallows a poison, you must act quickly and calmly:
If the
child is conscious, determine exactly what was swallowed. The child could lose
consciousness at any time.
Call 911 or
the local poison control center.
Have the container on hand so you
can tell the center the exact contents of what was swallowed. If the child must
go to the hospital, be sure to take the poison container with you for the
doctors on the scene.
Stay calm
and give the professionals short, precise answers because time is often
critical.
