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National Poison Prevention Week, March 21 – 27, was designed by The American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC). This awareness week recognizes the risks of unintentional and intentional poisonings, how to prevent them from occurring, how to help individuals who have been poisoned (and require immediate medical attention). CarolinaEast Pediatrics encourages parents to learn more about hazardous household items that could be a threat to children and teens, as well as how to store these items, and other toxic items, to prevent a possible poisoning. This includes finding a safe place for all medications, which could accidentally lead to an overdose or death if consumed or used improperly.
Not only are babies and young children at a high risk of becoming victims of accidental poisonings, teenagers are also prone. However, teens are more likely to suffer from intentional poisonings, rather than accidental. Though teenagers’ intentions may not be to harm themselves or risk their lives, they may explore with medications or poisonous household items on purpose. Some teenagers may be influenced to consume toxic substances due to social media trends.
Most often, teenagers are victims of intentional poisonings, because they were aiming to get high by taking a certain medicine, or by sniffing or consuming a poisonous substance. Teenagers’ brains are still in a developmental phase, which makes it difficult for them to recognize the long-term effects or consequences that could occur from their actions. Additionally, peer pressure and the desire to fit in may put your teen at an increased risk of exploring with drugs and other substances. Unless a teenager is suicidal and trying to harm themselves (due to a mental illness or other factors), normally, intentional poisonings that occur in teens are not often meant to lead to hospitalization or death.
By staying aware of risk factors and working to prevent a poisoning from occurring, parents can lower their children’s risk of becoming a victim of an intentional or unintentional poisoning. Make sure to keep cleaning supplies in their original bottles to ensure no toxic substance is confused with another or interpreted as non-hazardous. Throw away old medications and keep all current medications locked away for safety purposes. Additionally, make sure to talk to your adolescents or teens about the dangers of using unprescribed drugs and inhaling toxic substances.
The more informed children are about the risk of poison and its fatal health effects, the less likely they are to experiment with hazardous household items. For more advice on how to educate your children on poison prevention, talk to your CarolinaEast pediatrician for expert advice. Should a poisoning occur, first call 911 for medical emergency assistance. Additionally, you can call the Poison Help Hotline (1-800-222-1222) to find out what steps you need to take next.
Sources:
aapcc.org
mdpoison.com
yourteenmag.com
safekids.org
