Salford’s Early Help Service and 0-19 Service (Health Visiting and School Nursing) are working in partnership to offer you and your family access to a major programme to promote awareness and prevent accidents with household cleaning products.
Who is most at risk?
Every year, thousands of infants need medical care for poisoning from products commonly found in and around the home. Whilst long term injury is rare the anxiety and distress caused to both child and parents could be avoided by increased awareness.
- Most accidental poisoning happens to children younger than five years old, with children aged one to three year being most at risk
- On average, 15 under-fives are admitted to hospital each day due to suspected poisoning from all sources
Why are young children more likely to be poisoned
- Exploring is part of growing up but young children have little concept of potential dangers
- They are inquisitive and will often put things in their mouth to further explore their texture and taste
- Part of growing up is to watch and copy what others do, unfortunately this includes copying using potentially dangerous things like household products and medication
- Liquid capsule style dishwasher and washing machine detergents are not only a danger in relation to ingestion but can also cause serious irritation to the eyes
What can be poisonous to a child?
- Cleaning products
- Liquid laundry capsules
- Detergents and sprays
- Solvents
- Medicines
- Electronic cigarettes and their liquid refills
- Button batteries
- Alcohol
- Plants
- Gardening products
- Many other products in and around the home
When do accidental poisonings happen?
Poisoning can happen at any time of the day but more so:
- When products are left within the reach of an inquisitive child
- When a routine is changed or there are major changes within the family
- Children are in a different environment such as visiting friends and relatives
- Adult’s attention is taken away for a short while
- Through simple mistakes like not closing the lip or replacing the cap securely
- Transferring products into a different container
How can these accidental poisonings be prevented?
Symptoms
Symptoms associated with serious poisoning include:
- Being sick
- Abdominal pain
- Drowsiness or reduced levels of consciousness
- Breathing difficulties
- Seizures (fits)
First aid
If you think a child has swallowed poison, household cleaning products or medication:
- Get medical help immediately
- Do not let the child drink anything
- Do not make the child sick this can cause more damage
- If you know what has been taken keep a sample to show to the medical services
- If they appear to be unconscious, try to wake them and encourage them to spit out any pills
- If a child’s lips are burned by corrosive substances, frequent sips of cold water or milk may be given
- Residual chemicals on the skin should be rinsed away with plenty of water
Medical staff will need to take a detailed history to effectively treat a person who has been poisoned. When the paramedics arrive or when you arrive at an emergency department, give them as much information as you can, including:
- What substances you think the person may have swallowed
- When the substance was taken (how long ago)
- Why the substance was taken – whether it was an accident or deliberate
- How it was taken (for example, swallowed)
- How much was taken (if you know)
- Give details of any symptoms that the person has had, such as whether they have been sick.
Child resistant containers
Where ever possible buy products in child-resistant or child-safety packaging.
These have helped to reduce the incidence of poisoning but it must be remembered that these are not child proof. They simply delay the child from getting the product as quickly. It is still therefore important not to rely on child resistant packaging and to keep these products out of reach of children.
Remember!
NOTHING is childproof
NEVER leave your child unsupervised
ALWAYS close the lid of any product securely and store out of reach and sight immediately after use
NEVER mix cleaning products
ALWAYS seek medical attention if medicine or a cleaning product is ingested or enters the eyes
What are we doing in Salford?
Your Health Visitor will talk to you about home safety at each of your child’s assessment visits. At your child’s 9-12 month and 2 year visit a member of the Health Visiting Team will discuss the ‘safety checklist’ with you and leave it for your completion alongside a handy magnetic notepad featuring key safety advice.
The safety checklist (PDF format) can also be downloaded.
At your child’s 18 month assessment a member of the Early Help Service will also discuss the importance of home safety and ensure you have received your magnetic notepad and complete the home safety checklist with you.
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Where can I find further information?
Information and downloadable resources can be found on the RoSPA website
A video and information can be found on the Keep Caps From Kids website, set up by the detergent industry to promote the safe use of liquid laundry detergent capsules in Europe.
The NHS has advice about treatment for poisoning.
The Baby Check App - The Lullaby Trust
The Baby Check App features 19 simple checks that parents can do if their baby is showing signs of illness. Each check tests for a different symptom and when completed a score is calculated that tells parents or carers how ill their baby is. The app then lets parents know whether their baby needs to see a doctor or a health professional.
This page was last updated on 25 May 2023