POISON PATROL
What Your Child Learned from WellStar Today
The WellStar School Health Program visited your child’s classroom today to teach students about poison safety. During the “Poison Patrol” program, children learned how to identify common poisons around the house and protect themselves and others from poisonings. Sometime this week, take time to talk to your child about what he or she learned today.
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POISON PATROL TIPS FOR PARENTS
A poison is something that can make you sick or kill you if it gets into the body. Poisons can be used to clean the house, wash clothes, kill bugs, keep cars running, and grow plants. Even perfume, cologne, medicine, vitamins, and mouth wash can be considered poisons. Poisons are safe as long as they are use the right way. They can make you sick or hurt you if they get into your body. Poisons enter the body through the mouth, the nose, the skin, or the eyes. It is important to teach your children to never play with, touch, or taste poisons.
POISON RULES
§ “DON’T TOUCH, DON’T TASTE, ASK FIRST!”- This should be a parent’s #1 poison rule. Poisons can sometimes look like items that kids like to eat or drink, so it is important to teach your children to never touch or taste something without asking an adult first.
§ Always keep poisons locked up in a safe place. Keep medicines, vitamins, and other toxic household products in medicine cabinets or in other places that children cannot see or reach them. Always make sure to store poisons in their original containers so that your kids do not think that they are something that they can eat or drink.
§ Teach your children to not take other people’s vitamins or medicines-Taking medicine or vitamins that are not prescribed to you or taking too much of a medicine or vitamin can make you very sick. It is important to teach children this lesson at an early age.
§ If you believe that someone has been poisoned, call your poison center immediately- 1-800-222-1222.
