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Preventing Poisoning

4 December 2024

Not in the playground or during a stroll: approximately 90% of child poisonings occur at home when the child is not adequately supervised.

Crawling infants, along with others, are naturally curious and tend to put various objects in their mouths. They do not understand that medicines, detergents, and pesticides are hazardous substances. Not stopping them quickly can result in poisoning, which potentially can lead to hospitalization.

Be careful and follow the safety rules:

  • Storage: keep cleaning agents, laundry detergents, pesticides, and medicines in a high and locked place to prevent children from accessing dangerous areas. Ensure that the cabinet containing hazardous substances is closed after each time it is opened. After use, return items to their designated locations and, if necessary, lock the cabinet.
  • Original packaging: store each item in its original packaging. Numerous poisonings have occurred due to the storage of toxic substances in old drink bottles or unmarked containers.
  • Responsible use of medicines and food additives: misuse of medicines is the reason for 40% of poisoning incidents among children. Almost all medicines are toxic when taken in excess, even over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, or herbal medicines.

In cases of suspected poisoning, follow these steps:

If there are no apparent poisoning symptoms, call the Israel Poison Information Center at 04-7771900. If symptoms appear, call 101 immediately. Preserve the original packaging or the remaining substance that the child consumed so that the medical staff can determine the appropriate treatment.

If the child stops breathing or there are alterations in the state of consciousness, immediately contact Magen David Adom at 101 and follow their instructions.

In any case, unless the Israel Poison Information Center instructs you otherwise, do not encourage vomiting and do not give the child any food or liquid.

Every year, tens of thousands of calls are made to the Israel Poison Information Center, half of them about children under the age of 18.

An additional fact that may be surprising but is worth noting is that most poisoning cases occur at home when the child is not adequately supervised. This is due to, among other things, the fact that infants are naturally curious and tend to put various objects in their mouths. Crawling infants, along with others, reach for various places to open drawers or doors, when occasionally behind them there are vital items like medicines, detergents, or pesticides, which may be toxic and dangerous and potentially lead to hospitalization or death.

You can involve children in cleaning and tidying the house, but with close supervision and without using hazardous materials such as degreasers, toilet cleaners, and bleach.

Storage of hazardous substances

  • Store cleaning agents, laundry detergents, pesticides, and medicines in a high and locked place to prevent children from reaching them.
  • Ensure that the cabinet containing hazardous substances is closed after each time it is opened.
  • After use, return items to their designated locations and, if possible, lock the cabinet.
  • Numerous poisonings have occurred due to the storage of toxic substances in old drink bottles or unmarked containers. Therefore, store each item in its original package only. Some poisonings occur because pesticides are stored next to food. Therefore, it is crucial to separate the items and store them away from each other.

Cleaning agents and laundry detergents

You can have children participate in cleaning and tidying the house, but let them use water and soap only, with no hazardous substances. When you clean the house, make sure to keep these substances away from babies and children, and especially oil removers, toilet cleaning products and bleachers.

Note

Note

Babies find the tablets for washing machines and dishwashers appealing, so keep those tablets away from them and adhere to the storage rules mentioned in this article. 

Medicines

Misuse of medicines is the reason for 40% of poisoning incidents among children. Almost all medicines are toxic when taken in excess, even when over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, or herbal medicines.

Responsible medicine use

To prevent mistakes in administering medicines to children, it is essential to adhere to the following rules:

Avoid distractions

Avoid distractions (mobile phone, computer, and so on) when administering medicines.

Always watch

Do not leave children alone when medicines are within their reach.

Read the instructions

When using medicines, carefully read and closely follow the instructions for use.

Consult a physician

If you are unsure or have any questions about the use of any drug, especially about dosage or schedule of administration, stop taking it, or, alternatively, consult your physician or pharmacist.

In cases of suspected poisoning, follow these steps

If symptoms appear

Call 101 immediately. They will guide you what actions to take.

Note:

  • Preserve the original packaging or the remaining substance that the child has consumed so that the medical staff can determine the appropriate treatment.
  • Unless the Israel Poison Information Center instructs you otherwise, do not encourage vomiting and do not give the child any food or liquid.

If there are no apparent poisoning symptoms

Call the Israel Poison Information Center at 04-7771900.

Video: Preventing Poisoning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOy2KAghSd8

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