Spring in Illinois is a joyous time after months of winter grey. The warm sun, chirping birds and emerging flowers bring a feeling of rebirth to the state. With the first signs of warmth, many people start preparing with spring cleaning and preparing their outdoor lawn and gardens.
Poisoning is the second leading cause of injury related death in the U.S. In Illinois alone, the IPC fields over 74,000 calls on poisoning exposures each year—nationwide, poison centers manage over 2.3 million exposures. Those stats may surprise you but did you also know that more than 90% of all poisonings happen in the home? … more
For years the IPC has received calls involving a child getting into laundry detergent. Luckily, an unintentional taste of powder or liquid laundry detergent by a child is expected to cause minimal toxicity: throat or stomach irritation at the worst. In fact, most children don’t develop any symptoms at all. However, over the past couple … more
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.
Tony Burda, Carol DesLauriers, Abra Berg (Student Resident) If even the briefest mention of bed bugs is enough to make you itch, imagine spending hours researching this topic! However, for the sake of our readers, we stalwartly slathered on the calamine and dove right in. If you have been following the news in the past … more
Every year like clockwork, the Illinois Poison Center sends out safety messages on how to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning during the fall and winter months. Since the heater was on in my house last night, the timing seems just about right for this year’s piece, especially since I had recently seen an article regarding carbon monoxide … more
By Tony No, this is not our attempt to make shameless PG-rated “bathroom humor.” I haven’t conducted any studies nor am I equipped with any concrete statistics; all I have is my 30 years of observations as a certified toxicologist and those of other Illinois Poison Center call center staff. Yet I ask you to … more
Toxicity Hazards of Household Drain Cleaners By: Tony Burda and Irene Hong The title of this piece is a common question asked by students, residents, and new employees undergoing training at the Illinois Poison Center (IPC). I could come up with several things that are pretty scary for kids and pets to get into, such … more
