Protect Yourself and Your Family From Poisons!
February 13, 2003
National Poison Prevention Week, March 16-22
Did
your child taste a household cleaner or eat a poisonous plant? Did your
grandmother take an extra dose of medicine? Do you think you've been
exposed to carbon monoxide fumes?
Everyone is at risk for a
poisoning exposure, from infants to older adults, college students to
parents, city dwellers to residents of rural areas. Poisons come in
many forms and we come in contact with many of them on a daily basis.
Be
prepared for poisoning emergencies by posting the Illinois Poison
Center's (IPC) toll-free number, 1-800-222-1222, on each phone in your
house or in a convenient location. The IPC provides free, confidential
poison prevention advice and treatment recommendations, 24 hours a day.
The IPC accepts calls from the general public and health care
professionals on household products, herbal products, medication
overdoses, adverse reactions to medications, alcohol or drug misuse,
venomous bites, occupational accidents, chemical spills and other
poisonings.
How Safe is Your Home?
Poisons are found all
around us - in our homes, garages, backyards and purses. Most
poisonings are accidental and can be prevented. Follow these poison
prevention tips to make your home a safer place:
* Make sure
all potential poisons are properly stored and kept out of the reach of
small children and pets. Potential poisons can include household
cleaners, cosmetics, medicines, pesticides and items used for home
repair, among others.
* Use child-resistant safety locks on cabinets.
* Keep medicine and household products in their original containers with original labels.
* Always read labels before using medicine, cleaners and other products.
*
Place IPC telephone stickers on or near your phones and call whenever
you have a problem or question. If you think a poisoning has occurred,
call immediately. Do not wait for symptoms to appear.
Call
the IPC at 1-800-222-1222 or visit the IPC Web site at www.mchc.org/ipc
to order a free information packet, including IPC telephone stickers, a
refrigerator magnet, a poison prevention brochure, a list of toxic
plants and more.
The IPC is a program of the Metropolitan
Chicago Healthcare Council (MCHC), an association of more than 130
hospitals and health care organizations working together to improve the
quality of health care services.
Promote Safety from
Unintentional Poisonings in Your Home and Community. Support Your
Poison Control Centers. The Illinois Poison Control Center telephone
number is (800) 222-1222.
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