HOW TO PREVENT POISONING IN KIDS

Toddlers are quite active and curious fearless explorers in their own right. With advancing motor skills, they can reach most places that were previously inaccessible to them before. They learn to use chairs or open drawers and climb up to reach things that are kept higher and supposedly out of their reach. They can open bolted doors and use shelves or boxes as stairs to reach things such as household products, gasoline, lead-based paints, medicines and other things kept in bottle. They also have a tendency to taste everything and put everything in their mouths. This not only increases the risk of falling but also of poisoning due to eating and drinking things that should not be ingested. However, you may decrease the risks of poisoning in your children by following the tips given below:

• All medications should have child-safety caps on, so that your baby does not pry them open and drink them accidentally.
• Always keep your dustbin covered, so that your kids cannot dig into the things that you have thrown away.
• Be sure never to store things or liquids that should not be ingested in food or drink containers and bottles. This may lead your child to drink or eat it accidentally not even realizing that it can be toxic.
• Install childproof locks in your cabinets and drawers before your kids learn to crawl and stand up straight.
• Keep some common poison treatments at home and in case of a mishap, call the doctor immediately. Be sure to tell the doctor, what the child has exactly ingested for quick help.
• Once in a month, go through all your medications and throw all the outdated ones immediately.
• Toxic substances such as medications and household products should not only be out of reach but also out of sight of your children.