It’s National Poison Prevention Week: Keep your children (and teens) safe

By WVUA 23 News Reporter Jeremiah Hatcher

Children’s of Alabama’s Alabama Poison Information Center has been raising awareness on avoiding poisoning since it opened in the 1950s, and this week serves as a yearly reminder.

“This is National Poison Prevention Week, so we like to stress prevention and we encourage people to program in our phone number so they can always have us on speed dial,” said Children’s Nurse Educator Becky Devore.

Poisoning can happen to anyone, not just children, Devore said. The Center has seen a rise in poisoning cases for teens and younger adults recently.

“Last year we had calls about a 3-day old all the way up to a 100-year-old person,” said Devore. “Many people consider Poison Control for little ones. We’re there for all ages and all people in Alabama.”

Age, height and weight are the biggest factors in how poisons will react with someone’s physiology. Ingesting a lot of anything — even water, can be toxic.

But Devore said there are ways you can help prevent poisoning.

“We do recommend that parents put medications up, locked in an area above where children can reach and out of sight,” said Devore “We also not recommend parents take medication in front of children as they might try to take them, too.”

You can contact the Alabama Poison Information Center 24/7 by calling 1-800-222-1222.