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Safe Kids Baltimore promotes the work of the Maryland Poison Center with efforts throughout the year. Together we offer you these poison prevention tips:

  • Keep the phone number for the poison center on or near the phone.
  • Keep potential poisons locked out of children's site and reach.
  • Educate your children, yourself, and other caretakers about possible poisons.
  • Buy products and medicines in child resistant containers.
  • Keep products in their original containers and never store household products in food containers.
  • Never mix household products or chemicals together.
  • Never leave potentially poisonous household products unattended while in use -- it only takes seconds for a poisoning to occur.
  • Never refer to medicine as candy. Many medicines do look like candies. Referring to medicine as candy may encourage children to experiment.
  • Always follow the directions when giving children medications.
  • Discard old medications by mixing them with coffee grounds, kitty litter or another undesirable kitchen substance. Place mixture in sealable bag and discard in trash.
  • If you think a poisoning may have occurred, call the poison center at 1-800-222-1222 immediately. Take the product to the phone with you.
  • If poison gets into a child's eyes, flush with warm water for 15 minutes by pouring water onto the eyes. Do not allow the child to rub their eyes.
  • Rinse skin that has come in contact with poison for 15 minutes under cool running water.
  • Have your house tested for lead based paint if it was built before 1978. Hire someone to remove lead paint if found. Consult your doctor for lead exposure treatment.
  • Install carbon monoxide detectors on every level of the house and in the bedrooms. If the alarm sounds -- leave immediately. Call the fire department and utility department from a neighbors house or outside the house.
  • Have all heaters, furnaces, fireplaces and wood burning stoves inspected for safety and proper ventilation.

For Inquiries, please contact the Maryland Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 or visit mdpoison.com.

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