HOW SAFE ARE OUR
CHILDREN IN OUR HOMES
The big question every parents must ask is how safe is our
children in our homes. It has been stated that poisoning is another major
causes of unintentional injury or deaths. Studies from both low-income and high
income countries suggest that poisoning and their management are costly/
Major risk factor is that young children are particularly
susceptible to the ingestion of poisons, especially liquid because they are
very inquisitive, put most items in their mouth and are unaware of the consequences
Most common agents we use in our homes which contain numerous
harmful substances involved in childhood
poisoning are :
OVER THE COUNTER PREPARATIONS
-
Paracetamol
-
Cough/cold
remedies
-
Vitamins/iron
tablets
-
Antihistamine
-
Anti-inflammatory
drugs
PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS
-
anti
hypertensive
-
diabetics
drugs
-
anti
depressants
-
narcotics
-
analgesics
-
illicit
drugs
HOUSE HOLD PRODUCTS SUCH AS
-
bleach
-
disinfectants
-
detergents
-
cleaning
agents
-
cosmetics
-
vinegar
-
paraffin/kerosene
-
pesticides
-
insecticides
-
rodenticides
-
herbicides
-
poisonous
plants
-
Alcohol
PREVENTIVE METHOD
1.
Remove
all drugs from the reach of children; provide a cabinet where all the
medication will be locked up.
2.
All
chemicals and liquid must be kept in their original containers and well
labelled
3.
Avoid
storage of harmful substances in a beverage containers
4.
Avoid
storage of kerosene, fuels in the soft drink or baby food containers.
5. Don't leave alcoholic
drinks where kids can reach them. Take special care during parties — guests may
not be mindful of where they've left their drinks. Clean up promptly after the
party.
6. Keep bottles of
alcohol in a locked cabinet far from kids' reach.
7. Keep mouthwash out of
the reach of kids, as many brands contain substantial amounts of alcohol.
8. Food extracts, such
as vanilla and almond, may contain alcohol and can be harmful to kids
9. Store all medicines —
prescription and nonprescription — out of sight and out of reach of children,
preferably in a locked cabinet. Even items that seem harmless, such as
mouthwash, can be extremely dangerous if ingested in large quantities by
children. Just because cabinets are up high doesn't mean kids can't get their
hands on what's in them — they'll climb up (using the toilet and countertops) to
get to items in the medicine cabinet.
10. Make sure purses and
bags — yours and guests' — that could contain poisonous items (such as
medicine) are kept out of the reach of kids at all times.
11. Always keep pills and
liquids in their original containers.
12. Try to keep a record
of how many pills are left in their prescription containers.
13. Be aware of all
medicines in your home (and in those of relatives if your kids spend a lot of
time there).
14. Don't rely on
packaging to protect your kids — child-resistant packaging does not mean
childproof packaging.
15. Never prepare or give
medicine to a child in the dark: You may give the wrong dosage or even the
wrong medicine.
16. Never leave vitamin
bottles, aspirin bottles, or other medicine on kitchen tables, countertops,
bedside tables, or dresser tops. Kids may decide to try to copy adults and help
themselves.
17. Never tell a child
that medicine tastes like candy.
18. All medicines — even
those intended for children — can be dangerous if accidentally taken by
others, even in small amounts. If your older child or teen manages his or her
own medicines, make sure they know and follow the family rules on safely
storing the medicine. And always supervise them and make sure they're taking
the proper doses.
0 comments:
Post a Comment