It’s that time of year when many people set out to better themselves; the turn of the calendar gives us a fresh start and a clean slate. Here are two resolutions that have the potential for toxicity and some IPC-recommended resolutions as well. Read more »
Tony Burda DABAT and Sheri VanOsdol Pharm.D.
Recently the Illinois Poison Center (IPC) received a call from a parent whose toddler ingested some contents of an e-cigarette cartridge containing nicotine. We could find very little information addressing the accidental poisoning potential of these products in children, so we thought we’d share some information with you based on our findings.
Electronic cigarettes or “e-cigarettes” are battery-powered tubes that heat liquid nicotine stored in a cartridge, into an inhalable vapor that looks and tastes like smoke from a regular cigarette. These products are touted to be “safer” alternatives to cigarette smoking. Often imported from other countries and distributed by multiple e-cigarette companies, they are marketed under various proprietary names. These products are not currently regulated by the FDA, and their long-term safety has not been demonstrated. Read more »
Half of the calls received by the IPC involve kids under the age of 6. Young children are naturally curious and explore their environments by touching and putting things into their mouths. They learn by imitation, their taste buds are immature and they do not understand cause and effect. Plus they are just small, so in many cases it doesn’t take much to overwhelm their little systems. The IPC recommends keeping all potentially harmful substances away from children, because just about anything can be a poison in the right amount. The following 5 things are in many households and it may surprise you that they can be so harmful. Read more »
"Overheard in the IPC call center: " As long as there are 2 year olds, we will get calls.""
"Thanks for the RTs!! @sarahmcobb @NPNparents @shellbomber"
"{Details} What to do when your child eats their own poop (besides say, yuck!) --> http://t.co/vFKvVmMt #parents #parenting"
"Poison Prevention Educators: Don't forget to order free education materials for your Illinois Poison Prevention... http://t.co/gAo8IGEl"
"RT @thesafetystore: Your Local Poison Center http://t.co/RHXPXnyM Reach the local poison control center in the US by calling 1-800-222-1222"
