Tiny Hands, Big Risks
Courtney Carter
/ Categories: WELLNESS, 2024

Tiny Hands, Big Risks

Protecting children from accidental poisonings

In 2022, U.S. Poison Centers responded to 2,064,875 cases of poisoning. That’s an average of one new case every 15 seconds. Of those, 40% (97,000) were for children under the age of five. Additionally, an estimated 68,600 children under the age of five were seen in the emergency department for accidental poisoning.

While the source of poisoning ranged from cleaning products and laundry detergent pods to fentanyl patches and cosmetics, there was one common theme: 93% of accidental poisonings occurred in the home

 

The Top 5 and Emerging Dangers to Kids

The top 5* most common exposures in children aged 5 years or less in 2022 were:

household cleaning substances (10.3%)

analgesics (9.54%)

cosmetics/personal care products (9.49%)

dietary supplements/herbals/homeopathic (6.65%)

foreign bodies/toys/miscellaneous (6.61%)

 

Recent studies also note an increasing number of accidental poisonings in children from:

*SOURCE: National Poison Data System® (NPDS) from America's Poison Centers®: 40th Annual Report

 

Prevention is key to keeping children safe. Family members and caregivers should work to identify hazards in the home that could be a poisoning danger and keep them out of a child’s sight and reach. 

Here’s where to start:

 Drugs or Medications 

  • Keep medications safely stored in a locked cabinet or box and out of the reach of children. 

  • Keep medicines in their original child-resistant containers and never in unsecured containers. 

  • Properly discard unfinished or unused medicines. 

  • If a family member is taking a medication like Suboxone for opioid use disorder, you should keep a dose of Narcan (Naloxone) in the home in case of accidental ingestion

  • Beware of vitamins, medications, and other substances that are in a gummy form, as they are often mistaken for a candy.

Laundry Packets or Pods 

  • Store laundry packets in their original containers and out of a child’s sight and reach. 

  • Do not let children handle laundry detergent packets. 

Household Cleaning Supplies 

  • Keep chemicals and cleaning supplies safely stored in a locked cabinet or box and out of the reach of children. 

  • Keep household chemicals in their original child-resistant containers. 

Button Cell or Coin Batteries 

  • Keep products with accessible batteries away from children if the battery compartments do not have a screw closure or if the compartment is damaged.  

  • Check the toys in your home to make sure battery compartments are secured. 

  • Do not allow children to play with or be in contact with button cell or coin batteries. 

  • Click here to learn more about the dangers of button and coin batteries.

 

If you think your child has been exposed to a poison, remain calm and:

Call 911 right away if they:

Are having difficulty breathing OR

Have collapsed or are losing consciousness OR

Are having a seizure

If they are conscious and breathing easily:

Call a Poison Control Center at 800-222-1222.

Be prepared to provide the following information when you call:

  • The specific substance consumed. It’s helpful to refer to the label for this information

  • The age and weight of person exposed and any existing health conditions they may have

  • Any first aid provided

  • If the patient has vomited

  • How far you are from the nearest hospital

 

For online assistance or more information on accidental poisonings, visit Poison.org.

 

Moriah Krason, MD, FAAP is a general pediatrician at SVMC Pediatrics in Bennington.

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COVID and Kids

When I first heard the news about COVID-19, I was relieved as both a parent and pediatrician that it seemed unlikely to seriously affect children. However, more recently in both the literature and amongst colleagues, I began hearing about an uncommon but serious inflammatory disorder affecting some children with COVID-19. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control are calling this “Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome in Children” or MIS-C.

My goal in writing today is to dispel myths about this new manifestation of the illness, provide helpful steps families can take to protect their kids from COVID-19, and assure that medical providers are aware of this new subset of COVID-19 and taking appropriate steps to keep your children safe.

Symptoms of MIS-C include inflammation in the skin and eyes, irritability and sluggishness, along with fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes, and abdominal pain. The symptoms are similar to a rare childhood illness called Kawasaki disease, which causes inflammation of the blood vessels and primarily affects children under 5 years of age.

There is very little known about MIS-C due to the small number of cases around the country. However, the medical community is monitoring this new syndrome very closely to learn all they can about it. I would like to emphasize that this condition is very rare and occurs a few weeks after a child has already recovered from COVID-19 infection.

As we have throughout the pandemic, pediatricians are urging families to take precautions to prevent their exposure to COVID-19. This includes reducing close contact with others by staying home as much as possible and avoiding congregating in groups. Anyone over the age of two should wear a mask when outside of the home.

Wash your hands and your child’s with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and sanitize frequently touched surfaces at least twice per day. Avoid touching your face and teach children to cough and sneeze into a tissue or their elbow. Aim to wash and dry plush toys about once a week.

There are special precautions to take if someone in your household is ill. See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/care-for-someone.html for details.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends creating a healthy routine for your children that includes balanced meals, learning at home, exercise, social connection (Facetime, videochat, and in person with household), and adequate rest. This will help your children remain both physically and mentally healthy during this stressful time. Continue to reassure your children that the medical community is working hard to keep them safe during this time. Be sure to monitor their media consumption, watch for signs of anxiety, and be a good role model in regards to COVID-19 safety measures.

Call your pediatrician if you have any concerns about your children’s health, including symptoms of COVID-19 or MIS-C listed above. There are still important reasons to bring your child physically into the office such as immunizations, developmental checks, and growth monitoring. We would like to reassure you that we are taking proper steps to allow your children to safely receive care at our offices.

More detailed information about keeping your child healthy is available at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/children.html. For information about obtaining healthy food or other basic needs for your family, dial 2-1-1.

Dr. Meghan Gunn is the medical director of SVMC Pediatrics.

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