National Poison Prevention Month

Allamakee County Public Health shares the following Poison Prevention Tips compliments of the Iowa Poison Control Center, in observance of National Poison Prevention Week.

1. If you think something has been poisoned, call 1-800-222-1222 right away.  Serious poisonings don’t always have early signs.
2. Save the number of your poison control center in your cell phone contacts. Text the word POISON to 797979 to download the business card for poison control to your mobile phone.
3. Keep medicines and household products in their original containers in a different place than food.
4. Always read the product labels and follow any directions.
5. Keep household products and medicines locked up. Put them up high and out of sight and reach of young children.
6. Buy products with child-resistant packaging, but remember, nothing is child-proof.
7. Never call medicine “candy.” Poisons may look like food or drink.  Teach children to ask an adult before tasting anything.
8. Learn about products and drugs that young people use to get “high.” Talk to your teens or pre-teen about these dangers.
9. Have a working carbon monoxide alarm in your home.

Call 1-800-222-1212 to reach your local poison control center, anywhere in the United States.  The call is free, private 24/7/365 and expert help from a nurse or pharmacist is available.  They have interpreters available in more than 150 languages if needed.