Children act fast – Poison prevention for your kids

If you think someone has been poisoned, don't hesitate to call the National Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 right away!

Last night I heard clamoring from our bathroom – not a good sign when you know your one–year–old can pull everything out of the cabinets within 10 seconds. I opened the door about two inches, but found that it quickly became lodged onto the bathroom cabinet. Through the small crack I could see my little girl pulling all of my husband's toiletries out of the cupboard. By the time I managed to get through the door, she had uncovered almost everything – but that wasn't my biggest concern. With a bottle of aftershave in one hand, the cap in the other, and a quick sniff of her cologne–filled breath, I realized she decided to have a taste.

Children act fast.

It's true. When kids are at the age when they want to explore and touch everything in sight (and put things in their mouth like my little one) it's especially important to take simple precautions that will keep your kids safe from poison.

Keep the following out of sight and out of reach:

• Medicine, with caps tightly locked
• Household cleaning products
• Makeup and toiletries, which can be hazardous
• Purses, bags and briefcases

And remember the following while considering child safety in your home:

• Do not mix household products/chemicals. Dangerous gases could be emitted.
• Child-proof drawers and cabinets within reach of children with safety locks.
• Install a carbon monoxide alarm and help prevent carbon-monoxide poisoning by keeping your furnace, appliances, fireplaces and stoves in good repair.

Fortunately, my little girl didn't digest enough aftershave to cause sickness, but it was a wake–up call and did quickly reorganize our toiletries so they'd be out of reach of our kids. If you have kids under the age of five, I'd encourage you to do the same.

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