Make Poison Prevention Year-Round Priority

Each year more than 2 million poisonings are reported to Poison Control centers across the country. More than 90 percent of these happen in the home. The majority of nonfatal poisonings occur in children younger than age 6, and poisonings are one of the leading causes of death among adults.

While one week in March is designated annually as National Poison Prevention Week, an educator with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System says it is vital that parents and other adults make poison prevention a year-round priority.

Laura Booth, an Extension associate for environmental programs, notes that from 2002 through 2004, about 36 children younger than 5 died each year as a result of ingesting poisonous substances found in and around the home.

Many poisonings happen when adults are distracted for just a few minutes. Unfortunately, it takes only a few moments for a small child to grab and swallow something that could be poisonous.

Posted by lawremc at March 24, 2008 08:26 AM | TrackBack