Health Journal Online

Tag: Accidental

  • All Set For Holidays? Watch Out For Accidental Poisoning; Here’s How To Keep Kids Safe

    All Set For Holidays? Watch Out For Accidental Poisoning; Here’s How To Keep Kids Safe

    The holiday season is meant for joy, celebration, and cherished moments with loved ones. However, amid the festivities, a hidden danger lurks—accidental poisoning.

    More than 90% of all poison exposures occur in the home, with over half involving children under the age of six. From seasonal plants to cleaning products, many hazards can often be overlooked, especially with curious little ones around. Taking a few simple precautions, such as those offered by the Nebraska Regional Poison Center can ensure your holidays remain stress-free, keeping your family safe from unexpected dangers.

    Here are a few things to take caution of:

    Medications: Accidental ingestion of medicine is one of the leading causes of poisoning in young children. During holiday gatherings, when guests of all ages may be visiting, it is especially important to be vigilant about where medications are stored. Always make sure medicines are securely stored out of reach and out of sight as curious kids might mistake pills or liquids for candy or treats.

    Cleaning products: Cleaning products like disinfectants and cleaners should never be stored on the counter, even though it may seem convenient. When stored in easily accessible areas, children may explore them and accidentally swallow them or spray them on their skin or in their eyes.

    Alcohol: Alcoholic beverages are an inevitable part of Holiday gatherings. All items with alcohol, including hand sanitizers, and perfumes should be kept from sight and reach of kids to prevent accidental ingestion.

    Nicotine: Nicotine exposure in children can have serious and life-threatening consequences. Early signs include agitation, sweating, nausea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, and seizures. With higher doses, the effects can escalate to a slow heart rate, low blood pressure, respiratory failure, and even coma, making immediate medical intervention essential.

    Food: Caution should be taken while cooking and storing food during gatherings. When preparing meals with frozen meats or other items, always thaw them in the refrigerator and never on countertops to avoid food poisoning. Once the meal is finished, refrigerate or freeze leftovers within two hours, as bacteria grow rapidly at room temperature and can cause illness.

    Plants: Seasonal plants like mistletoe, holly berries, yew plants, and poinsettias, often featured in holiday decor, may seem harmless but can be harmful if ingested.

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  • Pediatrician’s Tips To Avoid Accidental Poisoning

    Pediatrician’s Tips To Avoid Accidental Poisoning

    The holiday season is all about festive cheer, family gatherings, and kids enjoying extra time with grandparents and extended family. But amidst the laughter and celebrations, there should be extra caution to avoid unexpected hazards.

    Dr. Meghan Martin, a Florida-based pediatric emergency physician known on TikTok as Beachgem10, is raising the alarm about an unexpected holiday hazard she calls “Granny’s purse syndrome.” This happens when curious young children get into their grandparents’ unsecured medications, often left on low shelves, in handbags, or non-child-resistant containers.

    “Around 20 percent of poisonings that happen in young kids are related to accidentally swallowing their grandparent’s medications,” Dr. Martin said in her video.



    “Grandparents are not used to having kids around, often their medications are on low shelves or in their purses or in medication containers that are not child resistant,” Dr. Martin said.

    “Some of these medications can be really dangerous, they can be pain pills, antidepressants, heart medications, blood pressure medications, or diabetes medications,” she added. The effects of these medications on children can be so severe that even a single pill might lead to toxic ingestion, posing serious health risks.

    To keep kids safe, Dr. Martin recommends storing medications in locked cabinets and avoiding leaving them in easily accessible places like backpacks or purses, which curious little hands can easily open. It is also important to avoid taking medication in front of kids who might imitate the act. “Never refer to medication as candy, medication is not okay to eat, candy is okay to eat,” she said.

    Every year around 49 kids below the age of 10 lose their lives to accidental poisoning, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates.

    “While the holiday season is a time of celebration, it is also a time of increased poisonings risks and hazards in the home,” a CDC newsletter cautioned. “Be sure to have guests keep all their personal items, such as purses and travel bags, out of reach of children and pets. Depending on the medication ingested, there can be a vast variety of symptoms and severity,” the CDC stated.

    Accidental poisoning can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention, so it’s important not to wait for symptoms to appear before seeking help. If you suspect poisoning, call 911 or Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away for help.



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