Utah Poison Control Center. Keeping Families Safe

Transcription

1 Utah Poison Control Center Keeping Families Safe

2 Mission Statement n To prevent and minimize adverse effects from a poison exposure through education, service, and research

3 Utah Poison Control Center (UPCC) Staff n Registered nurses n Registered pharmacists n Medical doctors n Health educators UPCC UPCC

4 What Is A Poison? n A poison is anything someone eats, breathes, gets in the eyes or on the skin, that can cause sickness or death if it gets into or on the body. n Poisons come in different forms Solid Liquid Gas or spray

5 Utah s Poison Problem n Over 50,000 total calls each year n Over 60% involved children less than 6 years of age n Over 90% occur in the home n Nearly 80% are managed on-site with telephone follow-up

6 Average Age Distribution of Poison Exposures 4% 21% < 6 years 6-12 years years 6% 5% 64% years 60 + years Utah Poison Control Center

7 Most Common Substances All Ages Analgesics Household Cleaners Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Vitamins and Minerals Topical Preparations Sedatives, Hypnotics and Antipsychotics Foreign Bodies Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Household Cleaners Analgesics Vitamins and Minerals Topical Preparations Foreign Bodies Gastrointestinal Preparations Utah Poison Control Center Children Under 6

8 When Do Poisonings Occur? n When the product is in use Adult distraction n Peak age 18 months old UPCC

9 What Are These Poisons and What Should We Do About Them?

10 Medicines and Vitamins n Pain relievers ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin n Cough and cold medicines decongestants, antihistamines, cough suppressants n Heart, blood pressure drugs n Psychotropics Prozac, Paxil, Xanax, etc. n Vitamins especially iron

11 Prevention n Keep out of reach of children Put it up, Lock it up n Use child-resistant caps n Tightly secure caps n Follow dosing instructions n Be aware of multiple ingredients n Never call medicine candy

12 Household Products n Bleach n Drain and toilet bowl cleaners n Laundry products (detergent, fabric softener, starch) n Ammonia cleaners (glass cleaners) n Dish detergent n Oven cleaners

13 Prevention n Follow instructions for use n Do NOT follow first-aid instructions on package, call poison control n Place on high shelves n Do not mix products n Use in well-ventilated areas n Store in original containers

14 Cosmetic and Personal Care Products n Mouthwash, toothpaste n Nail products (particularly polish remover) n Shampoo n Perfume n Talcum n Lotion n Make-up thebeautyshop.com

15 Prevention n Keep out of reach of children Put it up, Lock it up n Attend to open product n Place products out of reach during diaper changing n Use child-resistant cap on mouthwashes

16 Topicals n Acne preparations n Diaper products n Topical steroids (cortisone cream) n Athletic rubs Dermadoctor.com Drugstore.com Drug3k.com Utterwonder.com

17 Prevention n Keep out of reach of children n Keep products in original containers n Close lid tightly n Use according to instructions

18 What s in the Garage? n Gasoline n Motor oil n Kerosene n Windshield washer fluid n Pesticides n Anti-freeze n Fertilizers Kalcounty.com

19 Prevention n Keep out of reach of children Put it up, Lock it up n Keep in original containers n Handle with caution n Protect skin and eyes from contact n Only purchase amount you will use n Properly dispose of leftover and old chemicals

20 Miscellaneous Poisons n Plants Philodendron, daffodil, dieffenbachia, iris n Foreign bodies Coins, button batteries, hearing aids n Food Products Cook at correct temperatures, store and thaw correctly, australia.rs-online.com don t cross contaminate, when in doubt throw it out.

21 Miscellaneous Poisons n Bites and Stings Hogle Zoo

22 Carbon Monoxide (CO) A colorless, odorless, tasteless gas n Signs of CO poisoning: Headache Irregular breathing Fatigue Mental confusion Nausea Unconsciousness Dizziness Ultimately death

23 Prevention pediatrics.about.com n Install a CO detector near sleeping areas n Never operate gas burning appliances, machines or equipment in an enclosed space (garage, tent, indoor spaces) n Have chimney and flue cleaned professionally n Have furnace inspected annually n Do not leave vehicles running in garage

24 Why Are Children More Likely to be Poisoned and What Factors Place Them At Risk?

25 Stages of Development n Infants (0 6 months) Most infant poisonings are result of adult error; wrong dose, wrong medicine n Crawlers (6 months 1½ yrs.) Explore everything within reach and put things in their mouth n Toddlers and pre-schoolers (1½ yrs. 3 yrs.) Reach higher, nothing is child-proof, lookalikes are deceiving

26 Factors That Increase Risk n Child s curious nature Explore, taste, and touch to learn n Improper storage Lock it up; keep out of reach n Adult distractions Telephones, doorbells, meal preparation, etc. Most poisonings occur when the product is in use

27 Adult Poisonings n Poison is not just a problem for children n More than 25% of calls to the UPCC in are for adults over age 19 n The most common substances are pain relievers and sedatives

28 First aid tips n Swallowed poison do not give anything, call the poison control center n Inhaled poison get victim to fresh air, call poison control center n Poison on skin remove contaminated clothing and rinse skin with water for 10 minutes, call the poison control center n Poison in eye flush eye for 15 minutes using a large cup filled with lukewarm water held 2-4 inches from eye, call the poison control center

29 Emergency Action For Poisoning n Remain calm, but don t wait for the person to look or feel sick; some exposures can have a delayed effect n If the person is unconscious, having convulsions, or difficulty breathing; call 911 n Otherwise call the UPCC at: 1-800/

30 Calling Poison Control n Questions the UPCC specialist may ask: How the person is feeling or acting right now Age and weight of person Name/description of medicine, product or plant (have container with you) Amount taken When it happened Name and phone number

31 Conclusion n We come in contact with many poisons everyday n Awareness and simple safety precautions can help keep us, and our children safe and well n Implement prevention strategies in your surroundings to stop poisonings n Don t hesitate to call poison control