Poisoning and Choking Hazards for Children

Children can be attracted to small objects. Many of these objects are colorful or even fragrant. In the hands of a child some of these objects can become life threatening. Especially if the child puts the object in the mouth. If this happens the situation can quickly become a choking hazard or a poisonous accident. Here are a few common household items to look out for. Some of them you might have never thought could hurt your child.

After shave and rubbing alcohol has ethyl alcohol or Isotropy alcohol in it. This causes cramps, slowed breathing, slurred speech, and dizziness.

Insect repellent can affect the nervous system. It can cause confusion, sleepiness, seizures and coma.

Room deodorizer and furniture polish have certain types of detergents, alcohol, and can cause loss of vision, irritation in eyes, throat and nose and many serious complications. There are too many to list.

Oven cleaner, cosmetics, nail polish remover, nail polish, lighter fluid, laundry products, laxatives, batteries, charcoal, moth balls, mouth wash, dishwasher detergent, perfume, hair spray, or cleaning fluidsAll of these products can poison your child. These are only just a few examples. There are a lot of products and everyday household items that could be harmful to your child. You can find a poisonous safety checklist online at mdpoison.com

A child can not tell the difference between an Advil or an M&M. They can't tell the difference between a Tums and a sweet tart. Some symptoms or signs to look for if you think your child has been poisoned are dizziness or vomiting. Other signs are rapid heart beat, rashes, or strange behavior.

In case of child poisoning or any poisoning remember to stay calm. Call a poison control center and tell them what has happened. They can give you assistance over the phone most of the time. You can call The American Association of Poison Control Centers at 1-800-222-1222. Or you can find your local poison control center on their site: www.aapcc.org/

Here are some common foods that could cause choking in a small child. Popcorn, peanuts, hot dogs, grapes, raw carrots, raisins, chunky peanut butter, hard candy, or even gum. When a child is choking here are some signs to look for. When the child can not speak, breathe or cough they are choking. They may also make high pitched sounds when trying to breathe. The lips or the fingernails may turn blue. Call 911 or local EMS telephone number right away if you do not know how to proceed. Small infants who do not talk would be unable to cry or make any sounds. The child's face may turn bright red before turning blue. Older children may grab their throats when choking. It may help you to be prepared as well for choking incidents. You can learn the Heimlich maneuver and other related procedures like CPR from the red cross. For more information you can visit: www.redcross.org/

Resources:

http://www.aapcc.org/DNN/

http://www.parentstalk.com/expertsadvice/ea_fs_0008.html

http://www.childcareaware.org/en/subscriptions/areyouaware/article.php?id=92

www.redcross.org/

http://www.mdpoison.com/education/Poison%20Safety%20Checklist.pdf