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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2001)
“Cha-may weeya” Medicine Talk Siletz Community Health Clinic March 18 - 24 is Poison Prevention Week In 1961, Congress and the president authorized National Poison Prevention Week with Public Law 87-319 (75 Stat. 681). Each year, National Poison Prevention Week occurs during the third full week of March. The American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) participates in a joint effort with the Poison Prevention Week Council and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to promote and publicize National Poison Prevention Week on a national level. grown-up to make sure you have the number of the Poison Center on or near the telephones in your house. Ask them to show you where to find the number. You also can call 9-1-1 or the emergency number in your city or town for help. 1. 2. First of all, remain calm! Call the Poison Control Center or your doctor. Have the following information ready: Millions of people are unintentionally poisoned every year. A poison is any substance that can cause an unintended symptom. Poisons come in four different forms: J ✓ J J J J J Child’s condition Name of the product and ingredients How much of the product was taken Time poisoning happened Your name and phone number Age of the poisoned child Weight of the poisoned child 3. ft Solid Poisons - medicine, plants, 4. ft powders (like laundry soap and automatic dishwasher detergent), granular pesticides, and fertilizers. Solid poisons can be chunky and chewy like pills, batteries, plants, and berries. Liquid Poisons - lotion, liquid The Poison Control Center or doctor will tell you what to do next. Be sure you know how to give first aid if a poisoning occurs. ft laundry soap, furniture polish, lighter fluid, and syrup medicines. Liquids may be thick or thin. Pay special attention to liquids - a large quantity pan be swallowed in a short period of time and they are absorbed rapidly. Liquid poisons can be creamy, blobby, or like water. They can be any color. Sprays - insecticides, spray paint, ft furniture polish, bug spray, and some cleaning products. Aerosol sprays may be flammable, explode, and cause damage to the heart and lungs if inhaled. They can be in a spray can or bottle. The spray can get in your eyes or in your lungs if you breathe it. Invisible Poisons - gases or Prevention Tips vapors. Carbon monoxide from hot water heaters and furnaces, exhaust fumes from automobiles, fumes from gas or oil-burning stoves, and industrial pollution in the air. You can’t see it, smell it, or touch it. If a Poisoning Occurs If you think you got into a poison, tell a grown-up right away! They will call the Poison Center, which will tell them how to help you. If you think your Mom, Dad, your brother or sister, or even your friend got into a poison, you can call the Poison Center too. Tell a Did You Know That...? Every 30 seconds, a child is poisoned in the United States. Sixty percent of all poisonings occur to children under age 6. Many poisonings occur when the daily household routine has been disrupted, such as having a babysitter. The most common products involved in poisonings are drugs (prescription and over-the- counter), household and chemical products, plants, and cosmetics. Be aware that childproof caps are not really childproof. They are only child resistant and if a child is given enough time, he or she will open the container. Keep in mind that products may have incorrect or out-of-date first aid instructions. It’s very important to call the Poison Control Center or a doctor and to follow the instructions on the Poison Control Center’s Emergency Action Card. Contact the Regional Poison Control Center If you would like more information or a telephone sticker and Emergency Action Card, contact your local Poison Control Center. A babysitter course also may be offered in your area. The Oregon Poison Center can be reached at 1-800-452-7165 or 503-494-8968 (Portland-metro area). Qi m Why Call the Poison Control Center? 1. 2. Poison Control Centers are staffed with pharmacists and registered nurses who are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They give emergency information and may refer you to a hospital or doctor’s office, but most poisonings can be treated at home. There is no charge for calling Poison Control. Specialists in poison information can provide treatment recommendations for a variety of questions concerning: Treatment for poisoning Bites and stings Food poisoning Occupational poisoning Drug overdose Pill identification Plants Drug interactions and adverse reactions Animal poisoning Poison prevention Public education programs o’ Other What Does a Poison Look Like? A poison can come in pretty colors. It can come in many shapes and sizes. A poison can smell good and taste good. It can even look like something good to eat or drink. Many common medications look like candy, including: Sudafed and Red Hots Advil and M&M’s Excedrin and Good & Plenty ExLax and Chocolate How Can You Get Poisoned? something that can make you sick or hurt you. Some things, like medicine, can make you sick if you take the wrong kind or if you take too much. Always ask a grown-up before you take any medicine. Never put anything in your mouth if you are not sure it is safe to eat. Ask a grown-up first! Where are Poisons Found? Poisons are everywhere. They can be found in your garage, in your kitchen, in your bathroom, or in any room in your home. They can even be found in Grandma’s purse! Poisons can be found outside, like some plants, berries, and mushrooms. What are Some Dangerous Poisons? Medicines and vitamins: heart and blood pressure drugs, tranquilizers, nerve pills, cough and cold medicines, iron, pain relievers, diabetes medicines. Household products: drain cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, pesticides, lamp oil, oven cleaners, furniture polish, gasoline, kerosene, antifreeze, windshield solution. Some items have packaging that appears the same as a regularly eaten item. Example: The green Comet cleaner container and the green Parmesan cheese container appear very similar. They’re both shakers and the design is similar. Personal care products: mouthwash, permanent wave solutions, hair removal products, nail glue remover, nail primer. Some poisons are sweet tasting and some smell real nice. Example: Antifreeze tastes sweet and some shampoos smell fruity. Plants: wild mushrooms, philodendron, foxglove, caster bean, dieffenbachia, pokeweed, holly berries, daffodil, daisy, geranium, hydrangea, lily-of-the-valley, morning glory, pothos, rhododendron. You can get poisoned by eating, drinking, touching, or smelling MdrèhÉOOf Source: www.aapcc.org □ Slfetz Néw§ □ 17
