Poison Safety

Poison Control

It is always a good idea to keep the contact information on hand.
Phone: 1-800-764-7661
Children’s Hospital Phone: 1-313-745-5711

Prevention Tips

  • Avoid bringing unnecessary toxic substances into the house.
  • Avoid storing medicines, cleaning supplies, or other poisonous products near food.
  • Avoid taking medicine in front of children, and NEVER call medicine, candy.
  • Clean out old medicines on a regular basis, and flush them down the drain.
  • Keep all medicines locked-up in a child-resistant packaging.
  • Keep all products in their original containers.
  • Read and heed all directions and caution labels on poisonous products.
  • Rinse out containers thoroughly before disposing of them.
  • Store cleaning supplies out of the sight and reach of children.
  • Whenever possible buy products that have child-resistant caps.

Simple First Aid for Poison

  1. Call for help immediately!
    Keep the telephone number of your physician, the rescue squad, and the nearest Poison Control Center near your telephone. Carefully follow any instructions.
  2. Poisonous gases
    Take the victim to fresh air. Start rescue breathing until the victim is breathing or help arrives.
  3. Eye or skin contact
    Flush thoroughly with water for at least 15 minutes.
  4. Swallowed poisons
    Keep a bottle or Syrup of Ipecac in your medicine chest. Induce vomiting only if directed by the Poison Control Center or your physician.
    DO NOT induce VOMITING if the victim:
    • Is unconscious.
    • Having convulsions.
    • Has swallowed a corrosive, such as drain cleaner, lye or acid.
    • Has swallowed kerosene, gasoline or other petroleum distillate.

The Facts

  1. Every year approximately 500,000 children are accidentally poisoned.
  2. Of that number approximately 2,000 die!
  3. 70% of all accidental poisoning occur in the home.
  4. Between 80-90% of all poisonings involve children under 5 years old.