Poisoning Prevention at Home: The Quick Reference
Poisoning Prevention at Home: the whole thing in five minutes, for when you want the numbers and nothing else.
Keeping medicines, cleaning products, batteries and other hazards away from children and using products safely.
Key takeaways
- Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222, free, confidential, 24 hours a day
- Child-resistant caps: slow children down but are not childproof
- Most useful single change: Store medicines and chemicals up, away and out of sight, ideally locked.
- Commonest mistake: Making a child vomit after a possible poisoning.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Poison Control | 1-800-222-1222, free, confidential, 24 hours a day |
| Child-resistant caps | slow children down but are not childproof |
| High-risk items | medicines, laundry detergent packets, button batteries, cannabis edibles and nicotine liquids |
| Button batteries | can cause serious burns within hours if swallowed |
| Storage | keep products in their original containers |
In one paragraph
Young children explore with their mouths, and many poisonings happen when an adult is nearby but distracted.
Worth doing
- Store medicines and chemicals up, away and out of sight, ideally locked
- Save the Poison Control number in your phone
- Put medicines away right after each use
- Install carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home
Worth avoiding
- Making a child vomit after a possible poisoning
- Calling medicine "candy" to get children to take it
- Storing chemicals in food or drink containers
- Mixing cleaning products such as bleach and ammonia
Related topics
- Child Safety at Home: What Published Guidance Supports (Children's Health)
- Household Chemicals: What the Evidence Actually Says (Environmental Health)
- Storing Medicines: What Published Guidance Supports (Medicines Safety)
- Carbon Monoxide During Power Outages: What the Evidence Actually Says (Heat, Cold and Weather Safety)
Where to go next
- What the Guidance Really Says About Poisoning Prevention at Home
- Understanding Poisoning Prevention at Home: A Plain-English Explainer
- Poisoning Prevention at Home — the reference entry
- Injury Prevention: The Complete Guide
- Smoke Alarms and Fire Safety: What the Evidence Actually Says
- Sports Concussion: What the Evidence Actually Says
When to speak to a doctor
Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away for any suspected poisoning, even if the person seems fine. Call 911 if they are unconscious, having a seizure or having trouble breathing, and go to the emergency room immediately if a child may have swallowed a button battery or magnet.
Where this comes from
- Poison Control — Poison Prevention Tips
- CDC — Preventing Poisoning in Children
- Consumer Product Safety Commission — Poison Prevention
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarized or generalized beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to your doctor, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 911.
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