Emily Paterson, Maryland Poison Center’s Public Education & Communications Manager, discusses poison prevention for all ages with Midday Maryland Host, Elsa M., on our most recent Midday Maryland Segment.
March 15 – 21 is Poison Prevention Week. This year’s theme is “When the unexpected happens, Poison Help is here for you.”
Did you know that the Maryland Poison Center is open 24 hours, 7 days a week?
Each day they have around 156 calls, that’s around 47,000 human exposures a year.
Children under the age of 6 account for 30% of the volume, but those over 6 years old are a large part of the volume.
What do you think the #1 call is? If you guessed, pain relievers, you would be right! The 2nd most common are household products.
As adults age, and during different times of the year, there are many different types of risks. Age, conditions, seasons all affect poisonings.
What should we do if a person thinks there has been an accidental poisoning? Call 911 and then call the Maryland Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.
How can we prevent poisoning at home? Safely store items, such as in a lock box or cabinet locks.
