Bike and Pedestrian Safety

Choking, Suffocation and Strangulation Prevention

About once every seven minutes a child received emergency room treatment for unintentional poisoning in 2003. In 2002, more than 1.2 million unintentional poisonings among children ages five and under were reported to U.S. Poison Control Centers. Nearly 90 percent of all poisonings occur in the home.

Children are at significantly greater risk from poisoning death and exposure than adults because they are smaller, have faster metabolic rates, and are less able to physically handle toxic chemicals. Also, their curiosity and desire to put everything in their mouths increases their poisoning risk.

Canadian Statistics: Between 1997 and 1998, 2,131 children ages 14 and under were hospitalized for unintentional poisonings. In 1997, eight children were fatally poisoned.

Single nationwide phone number for poison control
When you call 1-800-222-1222 from anywhere in the U.S., Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, you're automatically connected to the nearest poison control center.

Play Detective

Finding poisons Walk from room to room with your children and investigate poison hazards in your home. Write down the name of each poison you find. Make sure they are in their original containers and are properly labeled. Put a check mark next to those that are stored in their original, child-resistant packaging, locked out of children's sight and reach (and remove any that are not to a safe, locked place). Let your children know that poisons should be handled by grown-ups only.

Dangerous Poisons

Household Products Medicines and Vitamins Plants

Cleaning products, drain cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, oven cleaners, rust remover, furniture polish, lamp oil, antifreeze, windshield washer fluid, kerosene, paint thinner, nail polish, mouthwash. Prescription and non-prescription medicines, cold medicines, pain relievers, iron pills.
Medicine Bottle graphic
Wild mushrooms, holly berries, philodendron, foxglove (left), pokeweed (right).
Plant photo

Magazine Masterpiece

Posion Poster example Go through magazines with your children and identify items that are safe to eat and items that are poisonous. Cut the safe pictures in the shape of a circle and the poisonous pictures in a triangle shape. Then create a "safe/poisonous" poster with your pictures to hang on your refrigerator as a reminder. Explain to your children that they need to ask your permission before eating anything you haven't given them.

Posting Posion Control Center number by the phone Have your children help post the telephone number of the Poison Control Center by the phone, 1-800-222-1222. Let children know if they suspect a poisoning emergency, stay calm and get help from a grown-up. If no grown-up is available, children should call the Poison Control Center immediately.
For more information about the Poison Control Center, visit American Association of Poison Control Centers' Web site. Children can also call 911 (if you live in an area that offers 911 as an emergency number), or dial the "0" to reach the operator for help.

Data Sources: American Association of Poison Control Centers, Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), Consumer Product Safety Commission, National SAFE KIDS Campaign®, Safe Kids Canada.

Sparky Says:

Each year approximately 24 childern ages 14 and under are fatally poisoned by carbon monoxide (CO), a colorless, odorless gas.
Install laboratory-listed CO alarms inside your home to provide early warning of accumulating CO. But remember that CO alarms are NOT replacements for smoke alarms. Make sure your family knows the difference between the sound of the smoke alarms and CO alarms in your home.