Most people know to keep items such as bleach and antifreeze out of the reach of little ones, but experts say there are other dangers lurking in the home that Hoosiers may not consider. Dierdre Davis with the Indiana Poison Center says over-the-counter medication is very dangerous for children, but their curiosity can put them at risk of a dangerous situation. She says putting medication up high may not keep a little one away.
“Children climb and they’re resourceful,” Davis explained. “The handbag is actually another place because the first thing they do when they want something is go dig through Mom’s purse.”
Davis recommends locking those items in a medicine cabinet or even putting them in an unconventional lock box like a tackle box.
When it comes to household cleaning products, Davis says it’s advised to always keep them in their original container because if not, they can be confused easily with something else.
“In one presentation that I do, I actually show a picture of a Powerade bottle, and it actually has windshield wiper fluid in it. And at first glance, would a young person know that that’s not blue Powerade as opposed to blue windshield wiper fluid.”
Anyone who suspects an accidental poisoning has occurred can call the Indiana Poison Control helpline, 800-222-1222. Davis says better to err on the side of caution.
“A lot of times, parents are worried that CPS will be called, or people who don’t speak English are worried about being deported because of a poison emergency. We do not share that information. We are simply here to help.”
Last year, the center received more than 59-thousand calls.
