Poison prevention tips

When Jeff and Kathy Campbell’s daughter awoke coughing one night, her parents stumbled into a dark kitchen for cough syrup but returned instead with a spoonful of Dermaton, a tick and flea killer. The pesticide contained a substance that can cause severe breathing problems, fluid in the lungs, and congestive heart failure.

“It was amazing how much the bottles were alike,” said Jeff Campbell. When Rachel complained about its taste, the Campbells recognized the pesticide’s smell and rushed Rachel to the hospital.

According to a news release from the Home Safety Council, 92 percent of all poisonings occur in homes. Although cleaning solutions are the most common cause of poisonings, overdoses of medicines and mistaken identity also cause numerous poisonings.

Many times accidental poisonings involve overdoses of seemingly safe over-the-counter medicines. For instance, an overdose of iron supplement is potentially fatal and swallowing an eye drop bottle’s contents can produce low blood pressure and comas.

The storage of poisonous materials can also lead to potential poisonings. Using soft drink bottles to hold paint thinner, turpentine, or gasoline invites children to taste them. Containers for pesticides, solvents, and cleaners can easily be mistaken for bottles of mouthwash and cough medicine. Sweet-smelling or good-tasting products, like perfumes and antifreeze, are particularly attractive to children.

The Safety Council recommends:

* Evaluate where hazardous substances are stored and eliminate situations that could lead to a poisoning incident.

* Store products in their original containers with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

* Store harmful products away from food and medicines.

* Make sure all medications have child-resistant caps.

* Know how to quickly find the telephone number of a poison control center.