As parents we all do our best to protect our children. We would never let them play with a drawer full of fake knives; they might be tempted to play with real knives. We don’t give our children small metal objects that may be stuck into wall outlets. As parents we do our best to avoid all the dangerous associations we can think of.

What about the ones we don’t think of. It is often the threats we don’t expect that offer the greatest risk. Most parents don’t rank poisoning high on the list of threats facing their child on a daily basis, yet it is one of the highest causes for death among children.

Children’s Health

The risk is added to by the fact that cleaning products, household solvents, and toxic chemicals are often found in bright colored, uniquely shaped bottles. What could be more natural than a child, upon finding a spray bottle, pulling the trigger-handle out of pure instinct? Upon removing the lids and spray-gun tops of bottles a child will often find a uniquely colored liquid. The bright blue of glass cleaner, the deep blue of toilet bowl cleaner or the bright yellows and greens of well known brands of floor cleaner are just as intriguing as the colors of their juice and soda’s.

When we start to think of poisons we start under the kitchen sink. The risks for poisoning go far beyond that. Poison proofing your kitchen will do little good products just as deadly if not more so can be found in areas through out your house; Kitchens, Bathrooms, Garages and Storage sheds, there are even things that can be done in the bedroom to help.

Everyone’s living space is different it is recommended that you conduct a visual inspection of your home.

How to conduct your inspection

  • As you enter every room, are there dangerous chemicals in this room?
  • Do they need to be here? The more dangerous products that can be consolidated into one area the easier it will be to keep track of them and their security, lowering the chances of poisoning.

Once products are in their proper place, are they properly secured?

Room-by-Room Specifics

Kitchen

  • Cabinets and drawers containing dangerous products should have safety locks on them. (Tip: As my older son grew into his toddler years he began to see the locked doors as a challenge, knowing something was behind that door. He would continually work to open the doors he couldn’t get into showing little interest in those he had easy access to. By placing locks on every low cabinet when my second son was born, he saw no special worth in any one door so he didn’t feel determined to get into dangerous areas)
  • Follow the instructions found on cleaning products. Mixing them or using them outside their intended uses can lead to dangerous scenarios. (Tip: Never clean a hot stove-top. Many cleaning products, including Ajax/comet, will produce gases and fumes when heated)
  • Do not store cleaning products and food in the same cabinets. With the growing number of citrus based cleaning products, pictures of fruit on the labels can be misleading to children.
  • Make sure everyone in your house knows the number for emergency services and post the number for poison control nearby your telephone. (Tip: Many handsets have buttons with a picture of a badge, a fire and a green or blue cross. These buttons can be pre-programmed with the numbers of your local police, fire, and poison centers. Children not old enough to read the numbers on the phone can be taught to contact emergency services)

Bathroom

  • Store each individual’s medicine separate from each other to prevent accidental use.
  • Only use medicine in the amounts prescribed, discard expired medicines.
  • Keep all products, medical as well as cleaning solutions in their original containers.
  • Purchase cleaning products and medicines with child-proof caps; lock the areas where they will be stored.

Garage & Storage Areas

  • All chemicals for gardening (fertilizers, bug killers), fluids for cars (anti-freeze, motor oil) and the fuel (gasoline) for both should be stored in a locked area within the garage itself which should also be locked.
  • Products should be stored after each use and always remain in their original container.
  • Never run a motor indoors, the build up of carbon monoxide can become deadly.

Bedrooms and Sleeping Areas

  • Mount a Smoke/Carbon Monoxide alarm nearby all sleeping areas.

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