Not just cleaning products: Keep these personal care items away from kids
We've all been told to keep cleaning products out of the reach of young children and to secure dressers and televisions to walls so they don't tip over. But, each year, simple health and beauty products send thousands of children to the emergency room.
Data from a 15-year period shows perfumes, colognes, moisturizers, deodorants and other beauty products send one child under the age of five to the hospital every two hours. The biggest cause of ER visits? Nail polish remover.
“Most of these injuries were due to kids swallowing personal care products, which led to poisoning," said Lauren Friedman, a health editor with Consumer Reports. "The second most common scenario were these products coming in contact with kids’ skin or eyes, leading to a chemical burn.”
In addition to Tide pods, bleach and other cleaners, experts recommend locking down personal care items in your home to keep them away from curious kids.
Have the phone numbers for poison control center and your pediatrician handy, and keep products in their original containers. If a child does get into something, you’ll know the exact ingredients to tell the experts.
The number for poison control, 1-800-222-1222, is the same in every state.
