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Tips to prevent poisoning in children

Here’s the reason to keep medicines, tablets, creams and liquids out of a child’s reach. How do I know if she’s ingested anything in this video? Read our tips on how to prevent poisoning in children at different ages and stages in their development and learn how to treat them in an emergency.

Every day young children, particularly those aged 1-4 years, are admitted into hospital because it’s thought they’ve swallowed something poisonous. They love exploring and mummy’s handbag is a tempting place to find pills that look like sweets. And a box of liquid tabs gleam like treasure in a pirates chest!

DID YOU KNOW…?

  • Child-resistant tops and strip and blister packs for tablets help to slow children down but they’re not childproof. Some 3-4 year olds can open them in seconds!
  • Swallowing medicines, like everyday painkillers that you might keep in your handbag or bedside cabinet, is the most common way for children to be poisoned.
  • And the detergent capsules and concentrated liquids not only cause poisoning if eaten but also squirt into the eyes and cause damage.
  • Only 45% of parents store liquid laundry capsules out of reach of their little ones and 1 in 3 have never locked them away! 

SAFETY REMINDERS – HOW TO STOP CHILDREN FROM BEING POISONED

FIRST STEPS

Babies around 6 months old explore their world by putting things in their mouths, which means they’re at risk of swallowing something harmful. You can help by doing these things:-

  1. Keep medicines locked away or up high. Fit safety catches on any low cupboard doors and drawers and make sure bottle tops and lids are on properly.
  2. Don’t forget the painkillers in your handbag on the floor or the ones on the bedside table.
  3. Before your baby starts to crawl and move around, move the cleaning products from around the toilet or under the kitchen sink into a high cupboard out of sight.
  4. Look out for products that contain a bittering agent like Bitrex. It tastes so horrible that it means that children are much more likely to spit the dangerous chemical out.
  5. Keep liquid capsules stored safely away.

TODDLERS

Toddlers love to explore and copy what you do, making them more at risk from poisoning than any other age group. Here’s how to make sure your toddler stays safe:-

  1. Keep medicines and cleaning things locked up and high out of reach and sight.
  2. It’s best to keep them in a room which people use a lot. If you child climbs up on a chair or worktop and is exploring in cupboards they’re more likely to be seen by an adult or sibling.
  3. ‘Child resistant’ caps are not ‘child-proof’so make sure they’re locked away too.
  4. Try to take your medicine when your toddler isn’t watching – its fun copying mummy.
  5. Avoid pretending your child’s medicine is a sweet, even if it’s hard to get them to take it.
  6. When you’re visiting friends or relatives, take a few moments to look out for medicines or cleaning products lying around, like in Granny’s bedside table.
  7. Even small amounts of alcohol can be harmful to small children, so clear up any glasses with alcohol dregs left in them.
  8. Remember to be careful with aromatherapy oils, plug in air freshners, reed diffusers and perfumes as they can all be dangerous to small children.
  9. Raw meats in bins and dog poo – yuck, can also be harmful if ingested!

YOUNG CHILDREN

Children between 3 to 5 may know what’s good and bad to eat, but they are still at risk from accidental poisoning. They are much more likely to be able to open child-resistant tops too.

  1. Colourful medicines look like sweets so keep them locked safely away and in the original bottles.
  2. Do the same with cleaning products, DIY or garden chemicals, whether they are kept in the house or the garden shed.
  3. Plants in the garden can be confusing too. Teach your child not to eat anything they pick outside. Poisonous berries can easily look like the ones they have in their pudding!

HERE’S WHAT TO DO IF YOU THINK YOUR CHILD HAS EATEN SOMETHING BY MISTAKE.

“And remember, that some poisons can be ingested, absorbed through the skin, inhaled or injected!”

Look out for signs like:-

  • Burns or redness around the mouth and lips.
  • Breath that smells like chemicals, such as gasoline or paint thinner.
  • Vomiting.
  • Difficulty breathing.
  • Drowsiness.
  • Confusion or other altered mental status.

For corrosive substances like acids, bleach or ammonia:-

  1. Don’t endanger yourself, make sure it’s safe to help.
  2. Wash the substance away with water if you can.
  3. If your child appears to be unconscious, try to wake them and encourage them to spit out any substances.
  4. If your child’s lips are burned by corrosive substances, frequent sips of cold water or milk may be given.
  5. NEVER make the child sick this can cause more damage to the throat (larynx, trachea).
  6. If your child does not feel sick, give them frequent sips of milk or water.
  7. Call 999/112 for emergency help!
  8. If your child becomes unconscious, resuscitate and place them in recovery position.

For non-corrosive substances like tables, drugs, alcohol, plants or perfume:-

  1. Call 999/112 for emergency help and give as much information about the poison as possible.
  2. If your child becomes unconscious, open the Airway and check Breathing. Start resuscitation if necessary.

For inhalation of smoke, fumes or other substances move your child to fresh air and open the Airway to check Breathing.

For confidence in dealing with any of these emergencies, come to a Family First Aid Class. You’ll learn to recognise the signs if your child is ill and know what to do, learning valuable life skills such as CPR, resuscitation and recovery position.

Contact Us about our next class.  

 
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