Look-a-Like Poisons Pose Dangers to Young Children
By: Jana L. Davidson, Education Content Specialist for the Progressive Agriculture Foundation
For young children who cannot read labels, many products around the home can look like popular candy or drinks. Even products that can be good for you, like vitamins and medicines, can become harmful if you do not follow the label directions.
In the United States, poisoning is now the leading cause of unintentional injury death, and nearly 9 out of 10 poisoning deaths are caused by drugs according to the NCHS (National Center for Health Statistics).
In 2012, unintentional poisonings were the leading cause of injury death in the United States, surpassing motor vehicle crashes. Here are some common poison look-a-likes you may find around your home:
- Gummy Bears vs. Gummy Vitamins
- Chocolate vs. Laxatives
- Sports Drinks & Juice vs. Household Cleaners & Mouthwash
- Candy vs. Laundry or Dishwasher Pods
- Gum vs. Nicotine Gum
- Water vs. Bleach or Rubbing Alcohol
- Shredded Beef Jerky vs. Chewing Tobacco
- Kraft Parmesan Cheese Container vs. Comet Cleanser Container
- Toothpaste vs. bathtub caulking
- Eye Drops vs. Superglue
Chemical safety is a very popular topic taught at Progressive Agriculture Safety Days® and was offered at more than 200 events throughout 2014. During Safety Days, participants learn they should never touch or put anything in their mouth unless they are positive what it is or unless a trusted adult tells them it is safe. As parents, grandparents and caring adults, it is our responsibility to be proactive in keeping children safe. Be sure to:
- Label harmful products and place them out of reach of children
- Avoid moving poisons or chemicals from their original container
- Lead by example and use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when handling chemicals
- Keep the telephone number of the Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) in a place easy to locate in case of an emergency.
These chemical safety tips are examples of what children and families learn when they attend a Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® offered throughout North America. To date, more than 1.4 million children & adults have been impacted by a Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® in their local community. Learn more about the program at www.progressiveag.org
This safety message is brought to you by your friends at Clearfield County Safe Kids Coalition. Please keep your child safe.
Clearfield County Safe Kids coalition is part of Safe Kids Worldwide (http://www.safekids.org/), a global organization dedicated to preventing injuries in children, the number one killer of kids in the United States.
For more information please contact Judy Patterson, Nutrition-Safety Advisor for Cenclear, at 814-342-5678 Ext. 2264.
The coalition always welcomes new members and meets the last Tuesday each month at 12 p.m. at Cenclear, 50 Bigler Rd., Bigler, PA 16825.
Donations to our local Clearfield County Safe Kids Coalition are tax-deductible and can help ensure the word about safe practices can be spread all year long.
Clearfield County Safe Kids is a co-sponsor of Clearfield County’s Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® held each September, Cenclear’s Safety Expo held each October, and various other safety events throughout the county.