Poison Prevention
The Regional Center for Poison Control and Prevention provides
a free, 24-hour poison emergency hotline. Rhode Islanders can
call 1-800-222-1222 to talk with specially trained nurses, pharmacists,
and doctors at the Center. The poison experts immediately respond
to poison emergencies and answer poison-related questions about
medications, household products, and other potentially dangerous
substances. Listed below are a few poison prevention tips to keep
you and your family safe.
Poison Prevention Tips
- Be prepared. Post 1-800-222-1222 near every phone in your home.
- Use child-resistant caps for medications and household products.
But remember nothing is child proof, so children need continuous
supervision.
- Store medicines and household products safely. Keep poisonous
products in locked cabinets out of the reach (and sight) of children.
Store household items and medications in their original containers.
- Follow directions on medications and household products. Use
the proper dosing tool when giving or taking medicine. Avoid using
multiple cleaning products. Mixing products containing different
chemicals, such as ammonia and bleach, will produce a poisonous
gas.
- Use medications safely. Never take medicine prescribed for a
friend or relative - even if symptoms are similar. Throw away
old medications.
- Never refer to medicine as candy. Some medicines look, smell,
and taste like candy. To avoid confusion, teach your children
to always ask before eating, drinking, or smelling anything.
- Know the names of the plants in your house and garden. Take
a clipping of unknown plants to the local nursery for identification
and ask if they are poisonous. Teach children not to put plants
in their mouths because leaves, roots, flowers, and berries of
certain plants can be poisonous.
- Install a carbon monoxide detector in your home. Carbon monoxide
is an odorless, colorless, poisonous gas that is created from
burning fuel. To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, have a professional
technician inspect the gas-burning appliances and venting and
chimney systems in your home at the beginning of each heating
season. Use fuel-burning appliances properly.
To request a free poison center hotline sticker for your phone,
call the Regional Center for Poison Control and Prevention at
1-800-222-1222. Call FAST to treat a poisoning, and call FIRST
to prevent a poisoning.
Children & Bike Safety
Here are a few points to consider when you venture out with your
children on bicycles:
Wear helmets. Everyone. Always. When buying a helmet don't ask
for the cheapest one - ask for the safest. Fit is one of the most
important things to consider. If you have a $10 head buy a $10
helmet.
Always check tire pressure every time you ride. The #1 cause of
flat tires is under inflation. Recommended tire pressure is printed
on the tire.
Check you child's brakes and tightness of all parts (seat, handlebars,
pedals, etc.) frequently.
Teach your child the rules of the road and practice them yourself.
ex.: 1) Always ride with traffic. 2) Use hand signals to indicate
your intent - don't assume the driver sees you and knows your
intentions. Err on the side of caution.
At night, dress bright. Make sure you are fully reflectorized.
Do not exceed the recommended weight limit of baby seats (40 lb.).
It is not the strength of the seat but rather the ability of the
driver to control the bicycle with a moving load on the back.
Never - ever - leave a sleeping baby in a baby seat on a bicycle
with the kick stand supporting the load - it won't!
When a dog approaches, more success has been had by slowing down
and talking to the animal than by trying to out run it. Unbeknownst
to humans, dogs are hoping you speed up so they might be able
to practice "the chase" in preparation for the doggie Olympics.
A friend of mine shouts something that all dogs dread hearing,
"GET OFF THE COUCH!". He says it works.
Short of harming themselves let kids be kids. Don't get uptight
about skidding tires, and the occasional broken bicycle. Instruct
them, supervise them, and let them have fun.
Bike Safety
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