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National Poison Prevention Week
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National Poison Prevention Week is
March 18-24, 2018
and the Texas Poison Center Network is again sponsoring the Poison Prevention Poster Contest. The deadline for submissions is approaching quickly! While providing a valuable learning experience, the poster contest can also offer students the opportunity to educate the public about poison prevention and possibly win some exciting prizes! Each entry will compete for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes. The winning poster will advance from each region to our state contest to compete for the grand prize.
To find out more, contact your local poison center educator by visiting
or by calling
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Real Poison Center Cases
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Case 1:
Last week, a male in his early 20's called because he had been handling a copperhead snake which he kept as a pet. The snake tried to bite him but he managed to get away with just a scratch on his finger. He was sent to the emergency room by the poison specialist who received the call for an evaluation. He was released from the hospital after it was determined that there was no concern for envenomation.
Case 2:
A poison specialist received a call from a woman who developed a rash all over her body after applying a homemade mixture of permethrin (an insectiside) and lotion. The woman was diagnosed with scabies by her doctor but could not afford the cream that was prescribed to her. Instead, she took matters into her own hands and created a mixture of lotion and an insecticide that contains permethrin (usually used to treat scabies). The poison specialist advised the woman to take Benadryl and go to the hospitals due to some blisters she had developed. She was released from the emergency room shortly after and advised to purchase the medication that she was originally prescribed.
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Valentine's Day Tips
Valentine's Day is a fun time for families, but as children look for treats, it's easy to confuse some medicines with candies-turning a fun time into a risky situation. And, let's not forget our pets. Many Valentine's Day gifts can include chocolates and flowers, some of which can be toxic to your pets.
The Texas Poison Center Network would like to wish you a H
appy and safe Valentines Day by offering you the following tips.
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Candy can look just like medicine too!
- Buy products in child-resistant packaging whenever possible. But remember, child-resistant is not childproof. They are designed to keep children out of the product for a short period of time, giving a parent is able to step in.
- Use child-resistant packaging properly by closing the container tightly after each use.
- Never call medicine "candy" to get a child to take it.
- Never leave medicine out on a kitchen counter or at a sick child's bedside
- Monitor the use of medicines prescribed for children and teenagers, such as medicines for attention deficit disorder, or ADD.
- Keep medicines in their original containers whenever possible. If you transfer medicines to another container, such as a pill minder or organizer, store them in a place that is out of reach & sight of a child. Since these containers are often not child-resistant, ensure the storage location has a safety latch when possible.
- Ask babysitters, visitors, and houseguests to keep purses, briefcases or bags that contain medicines up high, away and out of sight from your children. The same rule applies when your children are visiting a friend or relative's home.
Tips for pets:
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
If I've got a pet, what do I do?
- Keep those Valentine's Day chocolate treats away from dogs!Chocolate ingestion by dogs can result in agitation, vomiting, diarrhea, tachycardia, tremors, and seizures, depending on the amount ingested.
- We all know chocolate can be toxic for dogs, but there are other human foods which can also be harmful for our canine companions. Macadamia nuts, coffee beans, grapes, and raisins are particularly dangerous for dogs with the latter two causing possible kidney failure.
- Cat owners should check all flower bouquets closely for lilies (i.e. lilium) as they are very toxic to cats.
- Also be careful with ribbons and bows on flowers and balloons, as they can cause dangerous intestinal problems when ingested by pets.
- Xylitol is an ingredient found in sugar-free candies, chocolates, and baked goods can be toxic for dogs, resulting in rapid onset hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and potential, liver failure.
- To find out more information, click here for a free pet brochure
If you think someone has been poisoned, call
1-800-222-1222 to reach your local poi
son center.You can call the national toll-free number from anywhere in the U.S., 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
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Laundry Packets
In 2017, poison control centers received more than 10,500 calls due to exposures to laundry detergent packets, most involving children 5 years and younger.
These laundry packets are a convenient way to wash clothes. They are pre-measured, easy to handle, and prevent most spills. These handy little packets are designed to hold concentrated amounts of detergent inside a clear film shell that dissolve quickly in water.
These convenient packets are posing an unexpected problem for children who bite into them. For small children, these can look like candy. Most detergent packets are little rectangular packets in different shades of green, red or blue, small enough to fit in a child's hand. They are squishy in a way that might make them appear to be a toy or candy.
While many of the calls received by poison centers nationwide are a result of unintentional exposures, the latest trend known as the "Laundry Pod challenge" is posing some risk that could very well be avoided.
Laundry packets can pose a number of risks if ingested and potentially serious effects can occur quickly. These can include severe vomiting, breathing difficulty, burns to the esophagus, and even coma. There is also the risk of aspiration (getting into the lungs), leading to other possibly severe complications. The liquid detergent in these packets can be irritating to the eyes, skin, mouth, and throat.
It's really important to prevent children from handling these detergent packets. Close containers tightly after use and store them where children can't reach them. Even though manufacturers have developed more secure packaging, it is still important to keep them out of children's sight and reach.
Laundry packets (and other cleaning products) should ALWAYS be kept out of sight and reach of children.
Use containers properly after use - every time. (This also protects the contents, which dissolve on contact with moisture.)
If someone bites into a detergent packet, remove it immediately. Wash the face and hands with plenty of water & gently wipe out the mouth. DO NOT induce vomiting. Call Poison Help right away at
1-800-222-1222.
If contents squirt into someone's eye, rinse the eye gently with running water for 15-30 minutes. Then, call Poison Help at
1-800-222-1222
for assistance.
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