Browsing Tag

poison prevention

Children's

Safe Summer Camping

Pitching a tent, hiking a new trail and roasting s’mores all make up a perfect summer day. Now that summer is in full swing, it is a great time to get outside with your family to camp and hike. Spending time with your kids is important and fun summer activities create memories that last.

Before you head out on your next camping trip, it is important to understand and identify wildlife that could be potentially dangerous to your family. When camping and hiking, be cognizant of ticks, venomous snakes and poisonous plants. These dangers could turn into a trip to the emergency room.

Ticks

Ticks are small parasitic insects that are found in bushy areas with tall grass and leaf litter. Although they are miniscule in size, their bite can be dangerous. Ticks carry diseases, including Lyme disease, which is the most common tick-born disease in the United States. But don’t panic because your child’s risk of developing Lyme disease is very low here in Alabama.

“Although Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in the U.S., it is not in Alabama,” said Ann Slattery, director of the Alabama Poison Information Center. “Spotted FeverRickettsiosis is the most common tick-borne disease in Alabama.”

To keep ticks away while camping and hiking:

• Wear closed-toed shoes or boots, long-sleeved shirts and pants

• Tuck pant legs into socks or shoes for extra protection

• Pull long hair back or wear a hat

• Stay on trail

• Use insect repellent with 20% to 30% DEET and always follow the directions for use carefully

Be sure to check your family for ticks each day of your camping trip. Look in these areas particularly: behind the ears, around the groin, behind the knees and under the arms. If you find a tick, remove it immediately.

Venomous Snakes

Most snakes in North America are not venomous. However, a bite from a venomous snake could be life threatening for children and adults. Keep an eye out for these six venomous snakes in Alabama:

• Timber Rattlesnake

• Pigmy Rattlesnake

• Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

• Copperhead

• Cottonmouth

• Eastern Coral Snake

Most snakes do their best to avoid people. They will only bite if they feel threatened, surprised or concerned. If your family sees a snake, leave it be and stay away from it.

If your child is bitten by a venomous snake, Slattery recommends to:

• Immediately go to the closest emergency department

• Remove rings and any constrictive items

• Don’t apply a tourniquet

• Don’t apply ice

• Don’t attempt to cut the area or suck out the venom

• Keep your child calm and warm

Poisonous Plants

Poisonous plants like poison ivy linger around wooded areas and even your own backyard. Poison ivy can be hard to identify because it is often mixed in with other plants. The plant has three leaves on one stem. Remind your kids of the saying, “leaves of three, let them be.”

If you’ve encountered poison ivy before, you know that it causesan itchy, red rash. The “poison” in poison ivy comes from the plant’s colorless, odorless oil, urushiol. Surprisingly, urushiol is not poisonous, but an allergen. Most people who touch it get an allergic reaction. To avoid getting a rash, wear long clothes in areas where poison ivy may grow. And if your kids touch the plant or oil from the plant, wash their skin right away with plenty of soap and water.

“There is an influx of plant exposures reported to the Alabama Poison Information Center over the summer,” said Slattery. “Fortunately, more than 90 percent of these we treat and are observed at home.”

If your family finds themselves in a predicament this summerwith bites, stings and rashes, call 1-800-222-1222 to reach the Alabama Poison Information Center at Children’s of Alabama. It is a 24/7 hotline offering free and confidential poison information and treatment recommendations. To learn more about the Alabama Poison Information Center visit https://www.childrensal.org/apic.

Here’s to a safe and fun summer!

July 20, 2021 by childrensal

Poisonings: Prepare, Prevent, Protect

Your home should be a safe place for your family, but there are actually many hidden dangers. Our homes are filled with poisonous substances. Knowing the dangers and how to prevent them can keep kids safe.
Ann Slattery is the director of the Alabama Poison Information Center at Children’s of Alabama. She says parents and grandparents should do their part to “Prepare, Prevent, and Protect” kids against accidental poisoning.

PREPARE
Prepare now for the possible event of poisoning. Slattery recommends saving the toll free number for the Alabama Poison Information Center in your phone to keep it close at hand at all times. The number is 1-800-222-1222. Also, she recommends every home have a carbon monoxide detector, and that adults should prepare a list of all medications. “For adults we say have a list of your everyday medications available in case you have to call the poison center,” she said.

PREVENT
Act now to prevent the risk of poisoning. Store all cleaning products up and out of reach of children. Slattery also recommends storing prescription medicine in lock boxes. “Make sure you have child resistant closures on your medications,” she said. “Remember there is no such thing as child proof.” Slattery advises to remember this risk when visitors are in the home. You never know what guests may have in their bags, so store purses and suitcases out of reach or behind locked doors and away from children.

PROTECT
In the unfortunate event that an exposure does occur, call the Alabama Poison Information Center immediately at 1-800-222-1222. Slattery advises that if the individual is unconscious, having trouble breathing or experiencing a seizure to instead call 911 immediately.

By taking the proper precautions now, you can help keep children safe from the risk of poisoning. But if an accident does happen, be prepared to act quickly in the event of an emergency.

March 22, 2021 by childrensal

Children's

Holiday Hazards

The holidays are one of the most wonderful times of the year. Keep you and your family safe this season by reading the tips below on how to avoid potential holiday hazards.

Fire Hazards

Between 2013-2017, U.S. fire departments responded to an average 160 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year. These fires caused an average of three deaths, 15 injuries and $10 million in direct property damage annually. When deciding on a Christmas tree this year, make sure it is fresh and watered appropriately. The tree needles should be green and the stump sticky with sap, and the tree should be placed away from any heat sources that may cause it to catch fire. You should water the tree daily and if you notice the tree beginning to dry out and die, you should remove the tree from your home. All artificial trees should be flame-resistant.

Poisoning Risks

Many holiday plants can be poisonous if ingested. This includes mistletoe, holly and Jerusalem cherry plants. Symptoms of potential plant poisoning are rashes, vomiting and diarrhea. If you suspect that your child has eaten any part of the plant, please contact the Alabama Poison Information Center at 1-800-222-1222. Bubble lights and snow sprays can also be poisonous to children. Bubble lights contain a hazardous chemical called methylene chloride and should not be ingested.

Medication Risks

Be sure to keep medications out of reach for your children. Store all medicines — prescription and non-prescription — out of sight and out of reach of children, preferably in a locked cabinet. Even items that seem harmless, such as mouthwash, can be hazardous if ingested in large quantities by children. All packages and bottles should be child-resistant. Make sure your kids are in a safe area of the house that is properly child-proofed.

Alcohol and Food Poisoning

The risk of alcohol and food poisoning is all too common amongst children during the holidays. To lower the risk, make sure you dispose of all empty or partially empty containers immediately. All alcohol should be kept away and out of reach of children. Practice food safety by thoroughly washing hands, utensils, dishes and anything else that comes in contact with raw meat, including poultry, fish and raw eggs, before and after use. Store your leftovers properly and heat them thoroughly before serving again.

Choking and Swallowing

Tree ornaments, light bulbs, icicles, tinsel and small toys are all potential choking hazards for small children. If it is small enough to fit in a baby or toddler’s mouth, then it is too small to play with. Button batteries are common in most children’s toys and are very dangerous if swallowed. The symptoms of button battery ingestion are coughing, choking, irritability, loss of appetite and fever. If swallowed, visit your nearest emergency department or call 911. Small treats such as peanuts or popcorn, tree needles, angel hair (made from finely spun glass) and ornament hangers are all potentially harmful and should be kept away from children.

Gift Giving

The number one thing to remember when picking gifts for your little ones this season is that you must choose a gift that is age appropriate. For young children, toys without strings, batteries and removable parts are best and reduce the risk of choking.

If your child ingests something toxic this holiday season, call the Alabama Poison Information Center at Children’s of Alabama at 1-800-222-1222. Our experts can give recommendations for how to treat ingestion as well as dermal and ocular exposures.

December 14, 2020 by childrensal

Children's

Nov. 18 is National Injury Prevention Day

Injuries are the leading cause of death and disability to U.S. children. According to the Injury Free Coalition for Kids, 20 children die each day as a result of preventable injuries – resulting in more deaths than all other diseases combined.

Motor vehicle crashes, choking, burns, falls, drowning and poisoning are just some of the health threats that bring nearly 200 children to the Emergency Department at Children’s of Alabama every day.

“Injuries in children are preventable,” said Kathy Monroe, M.D., medical director of the Children’s of Alabama Emergency Department and professor of pediatrics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “Children’s is participating in National Injury Prevention Day on Nov. 18 to bring awareness to the alarming statistics related to childhood injuries and to help parents and caregivers learn how to anticipate and prevent childhood injuries.”

The rooftop lights at Children’s of Alabama will be lit green on Nov. 18, joining other pediatric hospitals across the country to “help light the way toward child injury prevention.” Doctors in Children’s Emergency Department and the Adolescent Medicine and Primary Care clinics as well as physicians around the state from the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics will distribute safety education materials to patient families.

Injuries affect children of all ages. Dr. Monroe and the team of physicians in the Children’s of Alabama Emergency Department offer these age-based tips to protect children from the most common causes of injury.

Infants – Safe Sleep
There are about 3,500 sleep-related deaths among U.S. babies each year, which occur from accidental suffocation, co-sleeping or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Risk Factors:
• Placing infants to sleep on their stomach
• Sharing a bed with an adult
• Sleeping on a soft surface or with loose bedding
• Exposure to secondhand smoke

What You Can Do:
• Follow the ABCs of safe sleep: Alone, on his or her Back and in a Crib.
• Put your baby to sleep alone. (Never let the baby sleep in bed with you. It is okay to share a bedroom, but not the same sleeping surface until your child is at least one year old.)
• Put your baby to sleep on his or her back. (Babies should always be placed on their backs when going to sleep for both naps and bedtime.)
• Put your baby to sleep in a crib or bassinet. (This should be completely empty except for one fitted sheet. Do not use soft bedding, bumpers, blankets, pillows or soft toys in the crib or bassinet.)

Toddlers – Poisoning
Children of all ages are at risk of poisoning in the home. Young children and toddlers often put what they find in their mouths as a way of exploring their world. Safely storing household medications and products is the best way to prevent your child from accidental poisoning.

Risk Factors:
• Brightly colored or scented cleaning products
• Pills that look like candy
• Toys that have small parts can be a choking hazard

What You Can Do:
• Place cleaning products and chemicals on a high shelf, out of reach of small children.
• Store all medications in a locked place, such as a lockbox or a locked cabinet.
• Do not leave medications out on the counter where children may easily reach them.
• Follow instructions from your doctor or pharmacist to dispose of expired or unused medications.

Preschool Children – Drowning
Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death in U.S. children ages 1 to 4 years. Drowning can be fast and silent. Children can drown in less than 1 inch of water and can occur in bathtubs and toilets, buckets of water, swimming pools and natural bodies of water.

What You Can Do:
• Use childproof doorknob covers and toilet locks to keep unsupervised young children out of the bathroom.
• Empty buckets, inflatable pools, and bathtubs immediately after using them.
• Ensure that all children wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket while boating or around natural bodies of water.
• Enroll children in swim lessons from an early age to learn water safety skills.
• If you have a pool, install a fence that is at least 4 feet tall and surrounds the pool on all four sides. Use self-closing and self-latching gates to keep young children from entering the pool area unattended.

Older Children – Firearms
Firearm-related deaths are the third leading cause of injury-related death among U.S. children. Young children are curious and cannot truly understand how dangerous guns are (even if you have talked to them about gun safety). If your child comes across a loaded gun, he or she can be accidentally hurt or killed, or may hurt or kill others. Teens can be impulsive and may act without thinking.

What You Can Do:
• Keep all guns locked, either with a gun lock or a gun safe.
• Store guns unloaded and away from ammunition.
• If anyone in the house is undergoing treatment for mental health disorders such as depression or suicidal thoughts, remove all firearms from the house for his/her safety.

Adolescents – Motor Vehicle Safety
Motor vehicle collisions are the number one killer of older children and teens. Learning to drive is an exciting time, but inexperience and distractions can put teens at risk.

What You Can Do:
• Properly restrain children in the correct car seat, booster seat or seat belt, depending on their age.
• Discuss car seat safety with your pediatrician, and make sure you learn how to properly install your car seat in your vehicle.
• Do not allow children under age 12 to sit in the front seat of the vehicle.
• Teach teenagers to obey traffic lights and street signs, drive the speed limit and wear a seat belt.
• Remind teenagers not to talk on the phone or text while driving.
• Model good behavior: always wear your own seatbelt while in a vehicle, and check to be sure that your children are wearing theirs.
• ATVs should only be used while wearing a helmet and following the safety instructions from the manufacturer. Never let a child under 16 ride an adult-sized ATV, and never allow more riders than the ATV was designed to carry.

All Ages – Fire Safety
More than 60 percent of all house fires occur in homes without working smoke detectors. It is important to install smoke detectors on each floor of your home. Test smoke detectors frequently.

What You Can Do:
• Change the batteries of your smoke detectors and check that they work every 6 months.
• Have an escape plan from the home in the event of a fire, and practice with your family.
• Place fire extinguishers in the kitchen, basement and garage.
• Keep matches and lighters out of reach of children.
• Teach children what to do in the event of fire: stop, drop, and roll.
• Make sure space heaters do not come in contact with clothing or other flammable materials. Do not keep space heaters in bedrooms.

All Ages – Motor Vehicle Safety

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 19 and under, and more than half of car seats are not used or installed correctly.

Visit http://www.childrensal.org/emergency-department for more information.

November 17, 2020 by childrensal