Why It is Critical for Parents to Know the Poison Control Number

 

We never truly know when a poison emergency will occur. It only takes one fast-moving baby and a bottle of gummy vitamins left out, for trouble to show up. Although many bottles have child-resistant lids, none of them are childproof. Accidents do happen, and that is why the Texas Poison Control Network exists- so that we can assist you in a poison emergency.

When we worry about poisons in the home, we automatically think of items you would usually find underneath a sink like cleaners and disinfectants. We do not always think about all the poisons that could potentially be floating around in mom or grandma’s purse, such as make-up and medications.  Once children get in these, they almost automatically put them in their mouths. That is why it is important to have potential poisons, of any kind, locked up and out of reach of children.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 300 children are treated each day in an emergency room for a poison-related emergency. Most of the time, a call to a poison center for help would have saved them time and money. Save yourself a trip and call this number during a poison emergency: 1-800-222-1222. It will quickly connect you with a registered nurse, pharmacist, or physician, specially trained to help. 

Here are some quick and easy tips that can help:

·       Always be prepared: Save the Poison Help number in your phone.

·       Poison proof any room where your child spends time in, such as bedrooms, living room, and even the backyard.

·       Ensure your medications have child-resistant caps and put them out of sight and out of reach.

·       Keep your purse out of reach too!

·       When giving medication, make sure to follow directions and provide exact dosing as indicated on the label.  You never want to give more medication than what is recommended. 

·       Keep hazardous chemicals and items out of reach, such as disinfectants, pool cleaners, or insecticides. All these items can be incredibly dangerous for children if ingested.

Remember to call the poison center before googling for help. Simply because it is on the internet does not always make it true or the best course of action.  Turn to the experts for advice instead. Get the right answers you need when you need them, free of charge. The poison centers in Texas receive hundreds of calls each day and save people thousands of dollars, time, not to mention peace of mind- let us do the same for you.  Call us at 1-800-222-1222 next time you have a question or a poison emergency!