Home may feel like the safest place, but it is often a dangerous environment for children with poison hazards around every corner. Children age 18 months to 3 years old face the highest risk of being poisoned. Children constantly explore their environment and tend to put things in their mouths. In some cases, adults carelessly or unknowingly leave poisonous items within their reach. March 21 through 27 is National Poison Prevention Week.
Poisonings can come from known dangerous chemicals as well as common household substances.
The severity of any poisoning depends on factors such as the size and age of victims, the amount swallowed, the time since swallowing and the substance swallowed. Mike Hughes, managing director of the Mississippi Poison Control Center, said the center handled 15,567 cases of human exposure to toxins in 1998. Use of the sour-faced Mr. Yuk stickers is an effective way of teaching children what things are poisonous and harmful to them. Never refer to medicine as candy.