It’s Poison Prevention Week, and Alberta Health Services is giving some tips and tricks for community members to help keep kids safe and prevent poisonings.
It’s no secret that kids are curious about what’s around them and that curiosity, along with their smaller size and low body weight, can put them at risk. This can be the case for the appealing flavours of children’s medicine, or brightly coloured objects, like laundry pods, which can put kids at risk of poisoning.
Last year alone the Poison & Drug Information Service (PADIS) received around 55 calls a day regarding poisonings. About 40 per cent of these calls were for children five and under. A portion of them involved acetaminophen and ibuprofen, and while these medications are safe for treating common aches and pains, if taken incorrectly they can be harmful.
In addition to medications, household items like cleaners, batteries, car supplies, and pesticides, can be poisonous if ingested or used incorrectly. Cannabis, e-cigarettes, sanitizer, bleach, and detergent pods can also cause poisoning and harm.
AHS released some tips and tricks as ways you can help to keep children safe, like ensuring all medications and any potential poisons remain in original containers and are locked up and out of sight, using childproof latches on cupboards or drawers, always put away medicine after each use, keep visitors’ coats and bags out of reach of children in case they contain any medication.
If you think someone has been poisoned call 911 or PADIS at 1-800-332-1414. More information on how to prevent poisons can be found on the province’s website.