Poison Prevention: Have you checked your home?

Parents, grandparents and all other caregivers can help prevent poisoning. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is spreading the work on how it’s done.

Everyone should double-check for these poison prevention steps this week, says the CPSC:

• Use child-resistant packaging. Be sure to close containers securely after every use.
• Remember that “child-resistant” doesn’t mean “child-proof.” All chemicals and medicines should be stored out of children’s sight and reach.
• Keep ipecac syrup on hand, but don’t use it unless poison control tells you to.
• When you’re using poisonous chemicals or medicines, don’t let your children out of your sight, even for a second. If you have to answer the door or phone, take your children with you.
• Keep all chemicals and medicines in their original containers and leave the labels on. Read the label before you use a product.
• Lamps and candles that use lamp oil should be kept out of children’s reach. Lamp oil can be highly toxic.
• Avoid taking or giving medicine in the dark. Check the dosage every time.
• Try not to take medicine in front of children, and never call medicine “candy”.
• Clean out your medicine cabinet regularly. Throw away everything you don’t use and everything that’s expired.

Every year, poisonings kill about 30 children and poison control centers get more than 1 million calls.