Poisoning

Each year around 27,000 children receive hospital treatment for either poisoning or suspected poisoning. The usual cause of the poisoning is that they have swallowed either medicines or household products, but another extremely dangerous hazard is carbon monoxide poisoning which is very difficult to detect as it has no smell, taste or colour. So what can be done to prevent these accidents since medicines and household products can be found in most homes.

Prevention
- keep medicines and chemicals out of reach and sight of children.

- if possible they should be kept in a locked cupboard.

- try and buy goods that are in child resistant containers.

- remember that although the containers may be child resistant they may only delay a child from opening the container, they cannot be relied upon 100% to keep a child out.

- always store medicines and chemicals in their original containers.

- always get rid of unwanted medicines and chemicals.

- don't leave medicines lying around in places where a child can get them eg. bedside tables.

- talk to children and make them aware of the dangers, tell them that those brightly coloured tablets are not sweets.

- be aware of how safe other people's homes are if your child visits.

- consider buying a carbon monoxide alarm to protect not just your children but the whole family.

- ensure your heating systems are regually serviced by a qualified engineer.