Household Poisons Keeping Kids Safe

As parents, we spend a lot of time making sure that what our children put into their bodies is safe, nutritious, and will help them to grow up to be strong and healthy. We read the ingredients on food boxes, research the side effects of vitamins and medications, and talk to our kids about staying drug free as they grow up.

Yet, for all of these efforts, the average household still has numerous poisonous items just sitting around the house. While most people make sure to keep cleaning chemicals locked up, are we taking the same precautions with medications, vitamins, toiletries, and cosmetics?

Parents assume that tamper proof packaging will keep young children from getting into household poisons, but the CDC says over 300 children in the United States are brought to the ER daily for poisoning. Unfortunately, most of these poisonings occur in children ages two and younger.

So what can be done to ensure that you are keeping household poisons away from curious toddlers or snooping teens?

1. Store all medications in a locked location.

Make sure that you keep ALL medications in a locked location. Even everyday vitamins can have severe effects on young children, and can lead to deadly issues like iron poisoning.

Additionally, older children may intentionally experiment with pharmaceuticals, so taking further precautions with items like cough syrup or pain killers is highly recommended. Certain medications, even those we get over the counter, can have addictive effects, in addition to being lethal in high doses.

An affordable solution to securing your medications is the NoSho Hidden Lock Box https://noshohiddenlockbox.com/), which is designed to fit in cabinets and drawers for easy access, but uses a magnet key to keep the contents sealed and secured. NoSho is a lot like a portable safety deposit box! If you enter the promo code KEEPTHEMSECURE on the NoSho website, you can purchase a lock box unit for under $20.

2. Keep chemicals and medications in their original packaging.

Some people re-package household items such as detergents into recycled food containers for ease of access or as a way to salvage damaged packaging. However, even when these containers are properly marked, young children who cannot yet read might confuse the contents for something edible. Likewise, pills and vitamins can easily be mistaken for candy if left out, or if stored in a zip lock bag.

Always keep toxic items in their original packaging, and take additional measures to make sure they are locked up safely, and out of reach of young children.

3. Remember that many cosmetics can be dangerous when consumed.

Cosmetics like nail polish, perfume, and certain types of makeup can be highly poisonous if consumed. While one assume that the toxic scent of these items would dissuade children from consuming them, many cosmetics and beauty products come in easy to access packing, and can easily be consumed by mistake is a child gains access to them. Let’s be honest; the little ones will chew on just about anything when teething!

Using a lock box or similar product, you can easily stash cosmetics in a locked up location and still keep them tucked in your bathroom drawer or cabinet for ease of access when you need them!

4. Keep alcohol and tobacco products out of the hands of children.

We typically think of teenagers as attempting to experiment with alcohol or tobacco products, and while this is certainly a concern, young children may also endeavor to replicate the behavior of adults if such substances are not kept carefully guarded. It is smart to lock liquor cabinets, and to make sure alcoholic aren’t unattended and within reach of young children.

This also applies to some less frequently considered household items such as mouthwash, and even certain food extracts contain a percentage of alcohol.

Tobacco products and smoking paraphernalia, including vape pens, should also be locked up. Young children may unknowingly play with these items and risk dangers of consumption, and older children and teens may seek to experiment with these addictive and potentially harmful substances.

5. Be aware that even certain plants can be poisonous to young children.

Certain house plants can be toxic when consumed, such as rhododendron, English ivy, lily of the valley, holly, and mistletoe. Be sure to do your research when purchasing houseplants to make sure they are not going to cause any adverse effects in children (or pets!) if accidentally consumed.

While these five tips are a good basis for keeping poisonous items out of the hands of children, there are still numerous products that we all use daily that may seem benign, but are actually poisonous when consumed. Examples include bug spray, air fresheners, and even essential oils. Doing your research and knowing which items to keep locked up and out of the reach of children is paramount to ensuring their safety.