The number of people who die each year from accidental poisoning is staggering, but by getting information out, we can eliminate many poisonings and save lives. This week marks the 50th anniversary of Poison Prevention Week and is an important time to become better informed about how to keep yourself and your family safe from unintentional poisoning.
A poison is considered as any substance, including
medications, which can be harmful to your body if too much is ingested,
inhaled, injected or absorbed through the skin. An accidental poisoning occurs
when a person unintentionally takes too much of a substance and does not mean
to cause harm.
More than 2 million poisonings are reported each year to
the Nation’s poison centers. And according to the American Association of
Poison Control Centers, approximately 90 percent of poisonings happen at home,
and 51 percent of them involve children under the age of six.
Poisons are all around us and can affect anyone. Learn
how to protect yourself and others by learning how to prevent a poison from
happening.
How
to Prevent Poisonings
- Only
take prescription medications that are prescribed to you by a healthcare
professional. By misusing or abusing prescriptions, you put your health at risk
and could unintentionally get poisoned.
- Always
take the correct dosage of a medication prescribed to you. Never take more than
the recommended amount.
- Follow
the directions on prescription medications and be aware of all the warning
labels. Some medicines cannot be taken safely if mixed with other substances
such as alcohol.
- Check
with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure different medications prescribed to
you do not interact in a harmful way.
- Always
monitor the use of medicines prescribed to a child or teenager so that the
correct dosage is always taken.
- Never
describe medicine to children as candy in order to get them to take it. If they
think it is candy and get a hold of it, it could lead to an overdose and
serious consequences.
- Dispose
of unused or unwanted medications. There is no need to have extra medication
floating around the house that someone could accidently get into and take
without your knowledge.
- Store
all medications and household products out of reach of children. Keep
medications in a secure location.
- Make
sure to keep medications in their original containers so no one accidently
takes the wrong medication.
What
to Do if a Poisoning OccursIn the event that you or someone with you has been poisoned, first remain calm. Then, immediately dial 9-1-1 if the person has collapsed or is not breathing. If the victim is awake and alert, call the toll-free Poison Help line right away, 1-800-222-1222, which connects you to your local poison center. Make sure to have the following information handy:
- victim’s
height and weight
- the
container or bottle that provides what the victim was poisoned with
- when
the poisoning occurred
- the
location of the poisoning
Stay on the phone with the poison control specialist or
9-1-1 operator and follow all the instructions you are given. For more
information on accidental poisonings and what you can do to protect yourself
and loved ones, visit www.poisonprevention.org. Texas Poison Control Network: http://www.poisoncontrol.org/
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