Poisoning in babies and children
Children are small explorers who want to discover the world, but are not aware of the dangers that surround them. An example of this is poisoning and, therefore, we strongly recommend keeping medicines and chemical products out of reach. This measure constitutes the basis for the prevention of these accidents.
A child who has swallowed a poisonous substance may present Burns around the mouth and it is usual to feel sickness Y throw up or have diarrhea.
The large number of items found in homes that result toxic or poisonous. To make our home a safe place, we must carefully examine each of the rooms and identify all those products that can be dangerous for the children and keep them locked and out of reach.
Checking our home: the kitchen, the bathroom and the living room
The products we use for the House cleaning We usually keep them in the kitchen, often in a cupboard under the sink and very easily accessible by kids.
We must take special care with:
-Detergents Y Cleaning products, They contain poisonous chemicals for children.
-Fertilizers of plants, which are highly dangerous.
-The detergents that are used for dishwasher, very caustic and, therefore, very dangerous if consumed.
We must place these products at a closet that can be locked, in which children can not see or reach them. It is not enough to keep them in a high place, since children are amazing climbers, and they constantly find a way to reach them. We must buy them, if possible, with security closures child proof.
On the other hand, chemical products and detergents are often packaged in colorful flasks, which, added to that some detergents have a pleasant smellIt is a great call to your curiosity.
In addition, -and this indication also serves to prevent accidents in adults-, never put a detergent or toxic liquid in a bottle of drinks or any other container that does not correspond to its content. We could get confused and therefore consume them.
At bathroom, another highly dangerous area, many times we store medicines, cosmetic products, colognes, creams, made up of harmful substances that can be toxic or poisonous for our children. It should be remembered that children have a lower tolerance than adults, so even if it is a small amount, they can cause serious poisoning.
So, it is very important that each time we consume a medicine, we keep it (preferably under lock and key) immediately after its intake. We can not trust ourselves and think "later I keep it", since the children will take advantage of any carelessness to satisfy their curiosity.
At living room from home we can find bottles of alcoholic drinks and, although it seems impossible for us to be able to open them, we would be surprised by the capacity of the children. A small amount of alcohol or liquor can be very dangerous for them.
Another dangerous element in the living room or living room is the remote control of television or other electronic devices. These controls usually carry batteries or batteries, that if they are put in the mouth, they are very toxic.
How to act in case of poisoning
The first thing we should do is Remove the victim from the poison. If the poison is in solid form, for example pills, do not try to remove it from the mouth because it can force the venom to travel further down your throat.
If the poison is a gas, you may need a respirator to protect you and take the child to fresh air.
If the poison is corrosive to the skin, Remove the clothes from the affected area and wash it with water for 30 minutes. It is essential to go to the emergency room and take the container or label of the poison.
If the poison is in contact with the eyes, it should be wash the eyes of the victim for a minimum of 15 minutes with clean water.
Sara Vázquez Nurse Clinic Ruber International, Madrid.
