The girl s mother is asked by an emergency room staff member if her home is child-proofed to prevent child poisonings. In fact, childhood poisoning prevention should not only concern parents, but also grandparents, other relatives, and friends who have children as visitors in their homes. The following information was provided by Julia Alkire and the 1998 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposure Surveillance System. Yes, because children have smaller bodies and higher metabolisms, toxins are much stronger in their bodies and spread more quickly than in the bodies of adults. Children are most likely to be poisoned, especially those aged two and under because they are at a stage in their lives when they explore and learn about the world by putting things in their mouths.
Statistics show that boys are more likely to be poisoned than girls.
In the 1970's, about 300 children died from poisonings each year. Thus, child resistant packaging is really more of a deterrent than a foolproof way to prevent child poisonings. Because poison control center experts are available to advise parents, about 75 percent of child poisonings reported to poison control centers are resolved in the home and not transported to the hospital. Search for the poison prevention fact sheet. This InteliHealth fact sheet provides detailed information on poison prevention.