Free Materials for Illinois Poison Prevention Month

This year’s slogan says it all:  “If you shouldn’t have taken it, eaten it, touched it or let it bite you, call the experts who can help…1.800.222.1222.”

“Year after year, millions of accidental poisonings occur in America – many of them affecting children. In 2009, the Illinois Poison Center (IPC) handled almost 100,000 exposure and information calls – 52 percent involving children age five and under on everything from household products and carbon monoxide to medicines, mushrooms and bites/stings. Poisoning has surpassed firearms to become the second leading cause of injury-related death in the U.S. behind motor vehicle accidents.

 Each year, the third week in March is recognized as National Poison Prevention Week (NPPW), created as an observance by U.S. Congress in 1961 to raise awareness of unintentional poisonings occurring each year, and to educate communities on preventive measures. For the past three years, the IPC has expanded the week-long effort to encompass all of March:  Illinois Poison Prevention Month  or IPPM.

 Take advantage of FREE online poison prevention training and a variety of educational materials including special Poison Prevention Month items (magnifier bookmarks and children’s paint sheets – limitied quantities available so order before Feb. 26).  Training and materials available on the IPC’s newly renovated Poison Prevention Education Resource Center, www.IllinoisPoisonCenter.org/outreach , and now available in Spanish, too!

For more information about the Illinois Poison Prevention Month, contact Travis at 312-906-6136 or PPERC@ilpoison.org.

Until next Tuesday…Vickie

Related posts:

1. Welcome to the Illinois Poison Center Blog
2. You might say the Illinois Poison Center is the antidote to unnecessary health care costs