Department of Health and Human ServicesFood and Drug Administration5600 Fishers Lane (HFI-40)Rockville, MD 20857

May 2000 (FDA) 00-1262

The Food and Drug Administration,or FDA, is part of the United States

Government. It is FDAs job to teachAmericans about ways to protect

their health.

Recognize Poisons inYour Home

Medicines. Cleaning products.Houseplants.Many items in your home canbe poisons to children.

But the main cause ofchildrens deaths frompoisoning is vitamin pillswith iron.

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A child can die afterswallowing as few as five ofthese pills.

Poison Proof YourHome

To protect your child: Close containers

right after youuse them.

Make sure child-resistant caps areon right.

Keep vitamins,medicines,cleaners, andother dangerousproducts in thecontainers theycame in. Dontstore theseproductsin cups,soft-drink bottles, ormilk cartons. Childrenmay think they are OKto eat or drink.

Keep these containers wherechildren cant reach or evensee them.

Buy only art supplies labeledas safe (nontoxic) forchildren.

Some dangerous medicines are: diet pills stimulantspills to help

you stay awake decongestantspills

that help clear a stuffynose

other medicines, likethose that treat depressionor high blood pressure

Some dangerous householdproducts are: art supplies dishwasher detergent,

bleach, and ammonia gasoline, kerosene, paint

thinners, antifreeze, andwindshield washing fluid

beer, wine and liquor other products

with alcohol, likemouthwash, aftershaveand colognes

houseplants

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WindshieldWashingFluid

Take every 8 hrs.forthe treat-ment ofdepression.

Do You Know ThesePoisons?

What ShouldYou Do If YouSuspectPoisoning?

If you think your child hasswallowed, breathed in, ortouched poison, call the poisoncontrol center or your doctorright away. Post their numbersnear your phone. The nearestpoison control center should belisted with other emergencynumbers at the beginning ofyour phone book.

If you can, tell them:

the name of the poison the way the poison was

takenswallowed, breathedin, or splashed on the skin orin the eyes

if your child has vomited your childs age, height and

weight any health problems your

child may have

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Learn the Symptomsof Poisoning

If you are told to go to thehospital emergency room, takethe poison with you.

Always have syrup of ipecac(ip-eh-kak) in the house. It canmake a person vomit. You canbuy it at the drugstore.

Do not use ipecac until youcall the poison control centeror your doctor. They will tellyou whether to use the ipecacand how to use it. With somepoisons, vomiting can beharmful instead of helpful.

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Theyre sleepy eventhough its not nap time.

They cant follow you withtheir eyes.

Their eyes go around incircles.

They have burns or stainsaround the mouth.

Their breath smellsstrange.

If you see an open or spilledbottle of pills or otherdangerous product, your childmay be poisoned.

An important sign of poisoningis when children who were welldevelop unusual symptoms:

Police. . . . . . . . . . . 911 Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . 911Doctor . . . . . 555-1234Poison ControlCenter . . . . . . . . . . . .

Emergency PhoneNumbers

Call your doctor if your childhas symptoms of leadpoisoning: refusing to eat vomiting convulsionsIt takes a long time for thesymptoms to show up. But thedoctor can do a blood test to seeif your child has been exposedto lead.

To prevent lead poisoning,dont store food or drinks inceramic containers.

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Watch Out for LeadPoisoning from Dishes

Lead can get into food anddrink from certain ceramic, orpottery, dishes. Most ceramicdishes made in the UnitedStates are alright. Those madein other countries, or that arevery old, may not be.

Keep Children SafeWhen Visiting Others

Tell grandparents, babysitters,and other people your child mayvisit how to maketheir homes safefor visitingchildren.

Mr. Yuk Means NO!

Mr. Yuk is the poison warningsymbol used by many poisoncontrol centers.

Mr. Yuk stickers say NO! tolittle children who cant readwarning labels on dangerousproducts.

Teach your children that Mr.Yuk means NO! Take yourchildren with you as you placeMr. Yuk stickers on the manydangerous products in yourhome.

To get Mr. Yuk stickers, call thepoison control center. Thenumber is on the first page ofthe phone book.

The stickers are free.

(Mr. Yuk is used with permission ofChildrens Hospital of Pittsburgh.)

Do you have more questionsabout keeping your child safe

from poisons? Ask your doctor.

And ask FDA. There may be anFDA office near you. Look forthe number in the blue pages of

the phone book.

You can also contact FDAthrough its toll-free number

1-888-INFO-FDA(1-888-463-6332).

Or, on the World Wide Webat www.fda.gov.

Food andDrug

UNITE

D STATES

GOVERNMENT

Administration

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Mr. Yuk