Information and Resources for Parents
"Funding for this project is attributed to the Indirect Vitamins Purchasers Antitrust Litigation Settlement administered by the NYS Attorney General"
Instructional Video for Children
Produced by UB's Doctorate of Pharmacy students, this video is oriented towards Pre-K, 1st and 2nd grade students. Parents who wish to present this material their children should first review it to familiarize themselves with its content and gauge its appropriateness. To watch the video, left-click on the link above. To download it, right-click on the link and choose 'Save Link As'.
What Parents Should Know About Poison Prevention
Education can play an important role in the prevention of poisonings, especially in children. Children sometimes have a hard time distinguishing between what is good to eat and something that could be dangerous to them. Parents must reinforce the concept of poisons.
Poisons are anything that you can take in the wrong way that can hurt you. An individual can get poisoned by ingestion, inhalation, contact with the skin and eyes, and insect stings. One of the most common ways for a child to get poisoned is by mistaking a hazardous substance as something good to eat, drink, or smell. For example, an Advil coated tablet may look like a tan M & M. Therefore, it is important to check around your home for any possible poisons and place them out of reach of children. Also, some plants and insects can be dangerous. The following sections give more information about plants and insects, how to prevent poisonings, and what to do in case of a poisoning.
Left-click to open the documents, or right-click and choose 'Save-As' to download.
Poison-proof your home with the
Poison Prevention Checklist
Word Bank
Activity
Jumble
Puzzle
Activity Sheet -
Five Ways to be Poisoned
Game - Ways
Poison Can Enter the Body
Game -
Find the Poison
Game
- Who Can be Poisoned
Poison Prevention Coloring Sheets
(.pdf format)
Poison Prevention Coloring
Sheets (.doc format)
What to do if a Poisoning Occurs
First of all, remain calm.
Call the Poison Control Center of WNY (1-800-222-1222) or your doctor.
Have the following information ready:
1. Child's condition
2. Name of the product and ingredients
3. How much of the product was taken
4. Time the poisoning happened
5. Your name and phone number
6. Age of the person who was poisoned
7. The weight of the person who was poisoned
The Poison Control Center or doctor will tell you what to do next.
Many poisonings can be treated at home with a product called Syrup of
Ipecac, which causes vomiting. Although it is used to treat many cases of
poisoning, you should always call the Poison Control Center before
administering it. Syrup of Ipecac should NOT be used when:
* Poisoning occurs in a child less than 1 year old
* Someone swallowed a product that burns
* Someone swallowed a product that is oily
* Someone swallowed a medicine that can cause drowsiness
Information courtesy of: Rhonda Collins RN, CSPI
How to Prevent Poisoning at Home
How you as a parent can prevent poisonings in your home
1. First, and foremost, always keep all medicines out of sight and reach of children. This includes your own medications and any medications your child might be taking.
2. Leave all medications in the original containers they came in. Do not destroy or break child resistant caps. Always press down firmly when replacing the cap. Keep in mind that these caps are not child proof and some children can remove them.
3. Do not keep outdated or expired medications in your home. Medicines can become even more dangerous when they age and should be flushed down the toilet to prevent a serious poisoning. Unused antibiotics should NEVER be kept and used at a later date for either yourself or another person without consulting your doctor.
4. Never leave your child's vitamins in cups or dishes as this makes them look like candy. Also, avoid referring to your child's medication as "candy", since this can be very confusing to a child.
5. Keep household cleaners like dish detergents, spray cleaners, floor waxes and furniture polishes stored in a locked cabinet out of sight and reach of your child.
6. If you are called away while performing a household task, do not leave cleaners and other products unattended for your child to discover.
7. Leave all household products in their original containers. NEVER put cleaning products in soda bottles, milk cartons or other food containers as your child may become confused. Storing products in their original containers not only prevents confusion, but also provides poisoning information on the label.
8. Never keep food and harmful products stored in the same area. A child could mistakenly reach for the wrong item.
9. Identify all plants inside and outside your home as safe to touch or poisonous. A trip to a garden or nursery can help educate your child.
10. Make sure all ash trays and packages of cigarettes are kept out of reach of your child as some children will eat cigarette butts. Your child can be seriously harmed by just 2 or 3 butts.
11. Keep all perfumes and cosmetics out of sight and reach of your child. These items smell good and can be attractive to your child. Point out their use to your child and explain to them that they can be very harmful if used in the wrong way.
12. Avoid stickers such as the "Mr. Yuck" stickers to identify harmful products. If your child is trained only to look for the sticker and not to ask an adult, they are in danger of poisoning if they go to a friend or relative's house who does not use the stickers.
13. Teach your child to ask first before eating or using any item they have never seen before. Let them know that they are smart for doing so.
Information courtesy of: Rhonda Collins RN, CSPI
Instructional Video for Baby-sitters
To the Baby-sitter: Being asked to baby-sit is a big responsibility, a responsibility that goes far beyond making sure the kids get to bed on time. Part of this responsibility is to be trained and prepared in what to do in case of an emergency. This may sound like a huge and somewhat scary responsibility, but it doesn’t have to be scary, as long as you are adequately prepared for any emergency situations that might arise. Being trained in these areas will also help in creating a trusting and respectful relationship between parent, child, and baby-sitter, and help you be the best baby-sitter you can be. To help in this education, the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has developed an eight minute program to help train baby-sitters about the dangers of poisons and how to respond in the case of an emergency poisoning. We encourage you to take the time to click on the Baby-sitters video link above, watch the program, take down some notes, and learn what actions to take in case of an emergency poisoning. We also encourage you to review this with each of your employers to further develop your action plan. We hope you enjoy and learn from this video and that it helps you become the best baby-sitter you can be!
To the Parent: Leaving your kids with a baby-sitter can be a nerve-racking and somewhat frightening experience. Still, having a qualified, well trained, and knowledgeable baby-sitter can help put these fears at ease. Knowing that your baby-sitter has the knowledge and training to act in an emergency situation if one should present itself while you are away could help save your child’s life. To aid in the training of your baby-sitter, the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has developed an eight minute program to help educate baby-sitters about the dangers of poisons and how to respond in the case of an emergency poisoning. We encourage you click the baby-sitter’s videos link above and pre-view the program. Then, sit down with your baby-sitter and re-watch the program with them. From there, discuss the video and create a tailored action plan to your specifications for the baby-sitter to follow in case of an emergency poisoning involving one of your children. We hope this video proves useful in creating an action plan for you and your baby-sitter, and allows you to be more at ease when leaving your children with the baby-sitter.
