Common
Household Products that Can Poison Your Children
By
Brenda Hoffman
In the United
States alone, someone is poisoned every few seconds. 40% of these cases
involve children under the age of 3. 50% of these cases involve children
under the age of 6. For this reason, it is important to lock up household
chemicals in a high cabinet that is out of the reach of children. In
75% of these cases, the poison was a common household product (ie prescription
drugs, non-prescription pain killers, vitamins, cosmetics, personal
care and cleaning products, house plants, tobacco products and alcohol).
Here is a simple check list to use within your home.
Bathroom:
medicines, toilet cleaners, antibacterial cleaners, air fresheners,
drain cleaners, mold and mildew remover, and some cosmetics.
Kitchen:
glass cleaner, antibacterial cleaner, dishwashing detergent, all-purpose
cleaner, insect sprays, oven cleaner, and ant or roach baits.
Living Room:
flea collars, rug or carpet cleaners, furniture polish, cigarette or
cigar butts in ash trays, and alcoholic beverages.
Bedroom:
total release insect foggers, air fresheners, and moth balls.
Laundry Room:
all-purpose cleaner, insect sprays, chlorine bleach, woodstains and
finishes, and laundry detergents.
Garage: motor
oil, windshield washer fluid, oil-based and latex paints, auto batteries,
antifreeze, spot-on pesticides to control fleas and ticks on pets.
Back Yard:
weed killers, pool chemicals including algicides and chlorine, baits
for rodent control, insect repellents, and some new bug zappers.
Now that
you've taken not of what these products are, it's time to do something
about them. Here is what you can do:
First of
all, it is very important that you keep all household chemical products
and medicines out of the reach and out of the sight of children. These
things really should be locked up whenever they're not in use. Remember
that medicines and household chemicals on kitchen counters or bathroom
surfaces are very accessible to young hands. It is also your responsibility
to make sure that any medicines that visitors may bring into your home
are also kept safely away from children.
Whenever
you use toxic products, you should never let them out of your sight,
even if you must take them along with you whenever you're answering
the telephone or the doorbell. Studies show that most poisonings actually
occur whenever the product is being used.
You need
to store all medicines away from household products, and all household
chemical products away from food.
Keep products
in their original containers with the original label intact. Make sure
that you read the label before you use them.
Avoid taking
medication in front of children, since young children tend to immitate
adults. You should also make sure that you NEVER call medicine "candy."
The poison
control number (1-800-222-1222) should be posted on or near every home
telephone.
You need
to know the names of the plants in your house and yard. If and when
you fnd a poisonous plant, it should either be placed out of the reach
of children or, better yet, removed.
Check your
home for lead-based paints. You can receive detailed information about
this by contacting the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD
Reverend
Brenda Hoffman, is ordained by the Unitarian Life Church, and has been
delivering holistic health and wellness advice for over 7 years since
receiving a BA in psychology. As a home-based professional and mother
of 1, she operates a holistic wellness network. She invites you over
to http://www.yourhealthyfamilyhome.com/
to learn how to improve you and your family's health.
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