Sixty years ago, on February 7, 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed Proclamation 3449 declaring the observation of the very first National Poison Prevention Week (NPPW) beginning on March 18th that year. Legislation passed by Congress in 1961 called on the President to designate the third week of March as NPPW. The objective was to … more
Summer is here! Concerts, county fairs and parties are back after more than a year of social distancing and isolation. For some people, the recreational use and misuse of prescription medications is part of the summer party experience. Unfortunately, if you get a pill online or from a friend of a friend, it is likely … more
Summertime in Illinois is a great time of year with families traveling for weekend getaways, hiking, camping, fishing and a host of other outdoor activities. Depending on where you go and where you stay, there may be bugs and plants that can leave their mark on you. Here are some of the plants and insects in … more
‘Tis the season for family, friends, fun, and . . . food poisoning (ewww). For some unfortunate merrymakers, holiday feasts will start in the dining room and end in the bathroom. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that every year, more than 76 million people fall victim to a foodborne illness. … more
As part of my reconnaissance for writing this post, I polled my Facebook friends and asked, “What do you think is the most toxic thing about the Holidays”? One of my favorite replies was, “relatives”. Well, unfortunately that is more “Dear Prudence’s” purview than my own, but below you will find some information on what … more
If you are a regular reader of IPC’s blog, you know that we can get a variety of calls. In honor of T-day, here are some of the most interesting food-related Thanksgiving calls our staff has gotten over the years: Jessica – PIP* The most memorable Thanksgiving call that sticks out in my head was … more
If you are a babysitter/sitter/nanny, or ever entrust your precious progeny to one of them, then this article is for you. About half of the IPC’s 75,000 exposures every year involve kids age 5 and under, and more than 90% of all exposures happen in the home. I think we all would agree that keeping … more
There are just way too many “My Child Ate…” scenarios for us to write about! However here are a few honorable mentions that didn’t quite make the “My Child Ate…” series but are just as important: “My Child Ate… The Dog’s Food” Although it might be uberly gross to discover that your child has forgone … more
There is a burgeoning fascination with the strange things children eat. If one were to do an internet search on the three words “my child ate”, it looks like a lot of children are eating Tums, poop (yes, poop, human and pet), pennies, crayons, deodorant and a host of household products.
It’s one of the biggest poison myths of all time: ‘all-natural’ or ‘organic’ substances are safer than their man-made or ‘chemical’ counterparts. However, the fact is that some of the most toxic substances known to man come straight from mother earth (or her creatures). There may be many positives about organic or all-natural products, but … more
This time of year, the Illinois Poison Center’s call volume starts to increase for a variety of reasons. One of those reasons has to do with the use of pesticides in the home. Here are the top 5 most frequently asked questions about insecticides: 1. Can I use outdoor-use pesticides inside the house if I … more
