| For parents, keeping our kids safe is a
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| | they are broken. Mercury can emit a
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| constant top priority. But even with the
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| | poisonous gas and is dangerous when
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| best intentions it's possible to overlook
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| | swallowed, so be sure to clean up any
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| some potentially harmful household
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| | broken glass thermometers thoroughly and
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| poisons. According to the National
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| | safely.5. PlantsChildren may find the
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| Academy of Poison Control Centers, 92
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| | bright colors and different textures of
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| percent of all poison exposures occur in
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| | plants irresistible, but some plants can
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| the home, and 52 percent of poison
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| | be poisonous if touched or eaten. If
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| exposures occur in children under the age
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| | you're in doubt about whether or not a
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| of 6.Following is a list of the most
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| | plant is poisonous, don't keep it in your
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| common poisons among children. Take note
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| | home. The risk is not worth it.You can
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| of them and make sure these items are
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| | refer to the list in the box below for
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| securely out of your child's reach.1.
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| | plants that should not be kept in homes
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| Cosmetics and Personal Care
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| | with children. The list is not
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| ProductsCosmetics contain many chemicals,
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| | comprehensive, so be sure to seek out
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| some of which are even toxic to adults,
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| | safety information on the plants in your
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| but because children are smaller, and
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| | home to be safe.The following plants may
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| their metabolic rates are faster, a small
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| | be hazardous to your child, and should be
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| amount of chemical or toxin can cause a
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| | kept out of reach or not in the home at
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| serious reaction.Most poisonings occur
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| | all:* Bird of paradise* Bull nettle*
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| when children are not being watched
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| | Castor bean* Chinaberry tree* Crocus*
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| closely, such as when parents are busy
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| | Daffodil* Deadly nightshade*
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| making dinner or entertaining friends.
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| | Dieffenbachia (dumb cane)* Foxglove*
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| Keep all cosmetics and personal care
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| | Glory lily* Hemlock* Holly berry* Indian
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| products in cabinets that children cannot
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| | tobacco* Iris* Jimsonweed* Lantana*
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| reach or are locked with child-proof
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| | Larkspur* Lily of the valley* Marijuana*
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| closures.This includes everything from
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| | Mescal bean* Mexicantes* Mistletoe*
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| shampoo, shaving cream and toothpaste
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| | Morning glory* Mountain laurel*
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| (the fluoride in a tube of toothpaste can
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| | Night-blooming jasmine* Nutmeg* Oleander*
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| be detrimental if swallowed by small
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| | Philodendron* Poison ivy* Poison sumac*
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| children) to mascara, lipsticks and
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| | Pokeweed* Poppy* Potato* Privet*
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| perfumes. Even if you don't think it's
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| | Rhododendron* Rhubarb* Water hemlock*
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| dangerous, play it safe and keep it
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| | Wisteria6. Diaper Care, Acne
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| securely stashed away.2. Cleaning
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| | Preparations, AntisepticsChildren may
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| SubstancesThis one is a bit more obvious:
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| | suck on a tube of diaper cream or acne
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| cleaning products are ripe with caustic
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| | medication. These accidents typically
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| detergents, harsh chemicals and toxic
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| | occur because the items have been left
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| residues. Should a child inhale cleaner
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| | out near a child's reach.Some topical
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| fumes or put an object in their mouth
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| | products, such as those containing methyl
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| that contains cleanser residue, the
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| | salicylate (oil of
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| effects can be lethal.Many cleaners also
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| | wintergreen)-ingesting1 teaspoon of some
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| contain corrosive agents that can burn
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| | strengths of methyl salicylate can equal
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| the skin on contact, and other products,
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| | more than 20 adult aspirin
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| like antifreeze, taste sweet so a child
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| | tablets-camphorated oil, pennyroyal oil,
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| may not know it's dangerous to drink.
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| | oil of eucalyptus, and other concentrated
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| And, the bright colors are attractive to
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| | essential oils can be extremely toxic to
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| a child-Windex looks exactly like blue
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| | small children.As with other questionable
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| Kool-Aid, for example.As with cosmetics
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| | household items, keep all creams,
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| and personal care items, always keep
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| | ointments and preparations, even those
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| cleansers out of the reach of children.
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| | that you use on your child like diaper
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| You can also quit using them altogether
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| | cream, in an out-of-reach, locked or
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| if you opt to clean your house with
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| | child-proofed cabinet.7. Cough and Cold
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| PerfectClean terry wipes and mops, whose
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| | PreparationsAntihistamines, cough
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| ultramicrofiber construction enables the
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| | suppressants, expectorants and
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| clothes, mops and dusters to reach deep
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| | decongestants are often flavored like
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| into microscopic crevices (NO other
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| | candy and may be mistakenly taken by
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| cleaning tool available even comes
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| | children. Keep them, along with other
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| close!) and remove everything in their
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| | medications, in a locked cabinet.When
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| path: all forms of dirt, dust, hair,
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| | giving your child cough or cold medicine,
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| dander, and the biological contaminants
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| | be sure that you are using the proper
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| too small to see with the naked
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| | dose, and that another adult has not
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| eye-without the need for chemical
| |
| | already given some to the child. If used
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| cleansers!PerfectClean products are 100%
| |
| | incorrectly, cough and cold medications
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| safe, and are meant to be used dry or
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| | may cause agitation or drowsiness, and in
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| dampened with some water, which is ideal
| |
| | large doses may effect blood pressure and
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| for homes with small children where
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| | heart rhythm.8. PesticidesIndoor
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| poisoning is a major concern.3. Pain
| |
| | pesticides, like mouse baits and roach
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| Medicine/Fever ReducersOne study found
| |
| | traps, should be kept in areas where
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| that up to 40 percent of pediatric
| |
| | children and toddlers (and pets) are not
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| household poisonings occurred while a
| |
| | allowed.According to Dr. Mark McDonald, a
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| parent was using the product. Pain
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| | pediatric intensivist at Palmetto Health
|
| medications (or other medications) may
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| | Children's Hospital, "Pesticides can
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| look like candy to a small child, but
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| | quickly kill a child. Never pour
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| their developing bodies cannot handle the
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| | pesticides into other containers," he
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| adult-sized dosages and will process the
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| | added, citing a case in which a parent
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| drug much differently than an adult.For
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| | poured plant fertilizer borrowed from a
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| this reason, it's never a good idea to
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| | neighbor into a plastic soda bottle. The
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| encourage your child to take a medication
| |
| | parent's child took a drink from the
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| by saying that it "tastes like candy."If
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| | bottle in the garage and, despite being
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| you take a medication, always be sure to
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| | rushed to the emergency room, was
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| take out only your necessary does and
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| | brain-dead in 17 hours.9. VitaminsBelieve
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| then put the rest in a secure location.
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| | it or not, vitamins are a common source
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| The medicine cabinet is one of the worst
| |
| | of poisoning for children. The pills can,
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| places because children can easily climb
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| | again, look like candy, and the doses and
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| up to them via the sink and open the
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| | concentrations of nutrients and vitamins
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| door.And don't rely on child-proof
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| | can overwhelm a child's system.Treat all
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| containers. Studies have found that
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| | vitamins and supplements like drugs and
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| children can invariably get them open if
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| | keep them out of your child's reach. And
|
| given enough time.Over-the-counter (OTC)
| |
| | never give your child vitamins meant for
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| pain relievers can also be dangerous.
| |
| | adults.10. Gastrointestinal
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| Never give your child any medication,
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| | preparationsSmall doses or sips of these
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| even if it's OTC, that is not
| |
| | preparations, though perhaps soothing for
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| specifically approved to be safe for
| |
| | adults, can poison a child. These are
|
| children.4. Coins and ThermometersThese
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| | another category of household items that
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| objects present choking hazards to small
| |
| | should always be kept in a secure
|
| children, who will often put small
| |
| | location that your child cannot get into,
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| objects in their mouths immediately upon
| |
| | and should be used immediately (not left
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| finding them left out on the floor or
| |
| | out on a counter where your child may be
|
| counter top.If a coin larger than a penny
| |
| | tempted by it).From the FREE
|
| is swallowed, an X-ray is generally
| |
| | e-newsletter, the Web's #1 most read
|
| needed to be sure it has passed through
| |
| | newsletter with original articles in all
|
| the esophagus.Thermometers represent
| |
| | 6 areas of life leading to complete
|
| another hazard of mercury ingestion if
| |
| | wellness.
|
