As children will soon go on a few weeks’ vacation from day-care centers, kindergartens, and schools, the number of unintentional poisonings, drownings in buckets, and other catastrophic events are predicted.
In addition to injuries from cleaning agents, there is also an increase in poisonings from drugs, when during the cleaning and tidying, many drugs are left unattended, thrown in the trash and accessible to children who are at home.
Orly Silbinger, director of Beterem, added that “Toddlers are curious and tend to examine the world through their mouths. In case of ingestion or contact with cleaning materials, the reaction in children is much faster and more severe than in adults. I call on the parents: ‘Don’t say it won’t happen to me.’ Especially during this period of Passover cleaning, when the children are free, it is important to adapt the house, keep dangerous substances out of their reach and observe the safety guidelines.”
To reduce as much as possible the harm due to poisoning, the two organizations have published rules for the safe home use of cleaning agents and medicines:
- Cleaning materials must be stored in a closed cabinet, used immediately, and at the end of use, closed them and returned to their safe place.
- Don’t transfer cleaning agents to other containers (glasses or drinking bottles).
- Make sure that disinfectants including alcohol gel are out of the reach of children.
- Read the instructions for use of the cleaning materials. Do not mix materials
- Children should not be allowed to play with detergent, spray, disinfectant or medicine packages, even if they are tightly closed.
- Medicines must be stored in a closed box, out of the reach and sight of children. Medicines in the refrigerator must be kept in a well-closed and labeled box.
- Administering medications under parental supervision and at the end, returning them to the place.
- Children should not be allowed to play with medicines since many children know how to open safety locks.
- Medicines that are given as mouth drops (including iron preparations and vitamins) must first be dripped into a spoon and then given to the child. Do not drip directly from the bottle into the mouth.
- Medicines or vitamins should not be presented as sweets in order to convince the children to take them.
- Bags containing medicines should be kept out of the reach of children.
In cases of poisoning or suspicion of poisoning, consult the Israel Poison Information Center at (04) 7771900. In case of poisoning or suspected poisoning, do not induce vomiting. In case of exposure to the skin or eyes, rinse the area thoroughly with a large amount of running water. In case of difficulty breathing, convulsions or loss of consciousness, call Magen David Adom (101) immediately.
