Accidental Poisoning Among Children Are On The Rise
Nikki Attkisson | Last Updated : September 8, 2021An increased number of children are becoming victims of unintentional poisoning as the COVID-19 epidemic continues to spread and the burden on families continues to rise.
Helen Arbogast believes that what is taking place is that parents are being confronted with a number of issues, including She works as the manager of such Injury Prevention Program at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles (LAC).
Accidental Poisonings Among Children Are On The Rise
When one is working from home, it is possible that they may get very preoccupied and that they will leave items that they would normally utilize. She also believes that it is impossible to overestimate the effect of the stress brought on by the epidemic. Medical marijuana is one of the methods individuals use to relieve some of the symptoms of this condition.
In the second half of 2020, the hospital, which usually handles one or two poisoning cases per week, witnessed a doubling in the number of poisoning cases.
Among the most often consumed drugs are edible marijuana as well as prescription medications. For the sake of their children’s safety, Arbogast recommends that parents and caregivers begin by ensuring that medicines are secured and out of reach.
Keep them in the childproof container provided by the pharmacy, she said, rather than in a pillbox that is only open on Sundays through Saturdays, which may be easily opened by a child. If the medications have expired, they should be disposed of properly.
The FDA of the United States has published a guide on how to dispose of unwanted medications properly. Most of the time, taking them to the pharmacist or a certified take-back location is the best option. Some medications may be disposed of in regular garbage, while others can be flushed down the drain, according to Arbogast.
The Food and Drug Administration maintains a list of those. She believes that the whole family must be informed and vigilant about safety. It is possible that grandparents are caring for small grandkids in an un child proofed house while they are away.
Grandma is now doing the job, and it has been a long time since she has cared for a young kid, according to Arbogast. As a result, she doesn’t even consider putting her heart medicine away.
It is now necessary to ensure that everyone who is responsible for the kid is informed of the possibility of poison ingestion. Remind them to put away any medicines or cannabis they may be using.
It is critical to have the poison control hotline (800-222-1222) close at hand. If you have any reason to believe your kid has eaten anything toxic, call 911 immediately. Waiting for an unpleasant response to confirm it is not a good idea since reactions vary depending on the poison ingested.
Some may induce vomiting, while others may produce lethargy in which the child seems to be non-responsive, and yet others may cause a gastrointestinal ailment, according to Arbogast. If you believe they consumed edibles, you should not expect the same sort of response as if they had taken prescription medications. There is no way we can say, ‘If they appear like this, do this.’
With over 15 years as a practicing journalist, Nikki Attkisson found herself at Powdersville Post now after working at several other publications. She is an award-winning journalist with an entrepreneurial spirit and worked as a journalist covering technology, innovation, environmental issues, politics, health etc. Nikki Attkisson has also worked on product development, content strategy, and editorial management for numerous media companies. She began her career at local news stations and worked as a reporter in national newspapers.