Keeping Your Home Safe from Poisons

Keeping Your Home Safe from Poisons

Young children explore the world by putting things in their mouth. For this reason, more than one million children under the age of six are victims of accidental poisoning each year. To help protect and keep your child safe, your pediatrician offers advice for identifying and locking up toxic materials and knowing what to do if they touch, inhale or swallow something poisonous.

Common Examples

Medicines: Vitamins and minerals, cold medicine, allergy and asthma medicine, ibuprofen, acetaminophen

Household Products: moth balls, furniture polish, drain cleaners, weed killers, insect or rat poisons, lye, pant thinners, dishwasher detergent, antifreeze, windshield washer fluid, gasoline, kerosene, lamp oil

How to Poison Proof Your Home

To maintain a healthy, safe home, your pediatrician offers these safety rules:

  • Keep harmful products locked up and out of the reach of your child
  • Use safety latches or locks to keep drawers and cabinets closed tight
  • Take care during stressful times
  • Never refer to any type of medicine as candy
  • Don’t rely on child-resistant containers
  • Never leave alcohol within the reach of your child
  • Call the Poison Help Line at (800) 222-1222 or your pediatrician if your child swallows a substance that is not food
  • Keep products in their original containers, as to not confuse your child
  • Read labels before using any product
  • Always keep a watchful eye on your child
  • Check your home for old medications and dispose of them properly
  • Move purses, luggage and grocery bags away from prying hands

Talk to your pediatrician today for more information on how to properly poison proof your home. Each extra measure taken is important to protecting your child from harm in your home.

Contact Us

Our Address
31 Hall Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Tel: (413) 253-3773
Fax: (413) 256-0215
Email: [email protected]

Patient Care Hours:
Monday-Friday
8:00 AM - 4:45 PM: In-office and MyChart Telehealth visits
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: MyChart Telehealth visits only

Sat
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM: MyChart Telehealth visits only

* Please note: It is our policy that we do not approve referral requests for visits to outside urgent care centers during times that our office is open.

Holidays
We are open for urgent visits only on most Holidays. However, our office is closed on the following holidays:

- New Year's Day
- Easter Sunday
- Memorial Day
- July 4th
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day

For urgent concerns, you can always reach an on-call provider, even when our office is closed.