Poisoning is one of the leading causes of non-fatal hospitalizations for all age groups, and nearly 90 percent of all childhood poisonings happen in the home. According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, more than one million of our nation’s children under the age of five are exposed annually to potential poisons such as medicines and typical household chemicals.

In honor of National Poison Prevention Week, March 15- 21, Sacred Heart Hospital’s Trauma Services Injury Prevention Program and Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital offer parents the following tips to prevent accidental poisonings.

• Put the poison control number, 1-800-222-1222, on or near every home telephone and save it on your cell phone
• Keep chemical products in their original bottles or containers
• Follow directions on the label when you give or take medicines
• Dispose of unused, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs
• Never use a generator indoors and partially enclosed spaces like garages
• Never share or sell your prescription drugs
• Turn on a light when you give or take medicines at night
• Store medicines and chemicals in child-proof cabinets or out of reach of children
• Never refer to medicine as “candy” to your children
• Adult medicines are not intended to be taken by children
• Never rely solely on child protected packaging to protect children
• Call the Poison Control Center to find out which plants are toxic and what common poisonous critters may make their home in your area. When out in nature, do not put leaves, stems, flowers, seeds or mushrooms in your mouth unless you know positively that the plant is safe.

Accidental poisonings can happen in the span of just a few seconds. Common signs and symptoms include:

• Drowsiness
• Sudden change in behavior
• Unusual odor
• Pill fragments on the lips or clothes
• Excessive drooling
• Vomiting
• A confused mental state
• Listlessness

If you suspect that a child has taken a poison, and he or she is alert, contact your local poison control center immediately at 1-800-222-12222.

If the child has taken a poison and has a change in mental state, call 911 immediately and seek emergency medical care. Do not give a child ipecac syrup to induce vomiting – this could cause more harm to the child. In addition, remember to bring in the specific bottle or container of the substance that the child ingested.

For more information, please call (850) 416-1600 or visit us online at www.sacred-heart.org.

About Sacred Heart’s Emergency/Trauma Center
Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola provides a 24-hour Emergency Department that includes the region's only comprehensive Trauma Center that is staffed and equipped to handle life-threatening injuries in adults and children. Sacred Heart is designated by the State of Florida as a Pediatric Trauma Referral Center and a Level II Trauma Center for adults. Our Trauma Team is led by trauma surgeons who coordinate care with other specialists, including neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons.

About Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital
Since 1969, Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital has provided quality, compassionate care to children across the Gulf Coast, regardless of their ability to pay. Located in Pensacola, Fla., our state-of-the-art, 119-bed hospital is the only dedicated children’s hospital in Northwest Florida.