Kansas poison control fields thousands of reports for household products. When to call
In the past 12 months, the Kansas Poison Control Center has treated more than 2,000 people poisoned by common household products.
According to data the KPCC provided to The Eagle, 1,410 of those 2,095 calls were for a person 5 years old or younger.
National Poison Prevention Week is the third week of every March, but the KPCC and other poison prevention experts work year-round to increase the knowledge about the dangers of common household items. Here’s what to know about poisonings in Kansas and prevention steps you can take to keep your family safe.
Overall in the past year, Kansas poison control has handled 17,829 calls. One out of every four calls were from medical providers requesting assistance for a poison-related case.
Pain relievers were the most common drug substance that warranted a poison control call, KPCC data show. Household products were the most common non-drug substance resulting in call to poison control.
While the term “poison” might be thought of as referring to items that cannot be found in your personal cupboards, it’s important to know what products pose a potential risk.
The most common household products resulting in KPCC calls in the past 12 months were:
- Personal care (lotion, deodorant)
- Cosmetics
- Hand sanitizers
- Bleaches
- Dish detergents
- Laundry detergents and pods
Other common poisons highlighted by the control center include mushrooms, alcohol, mineral spirits, insect repellents and rat poison.
How to stay safe from possible poisons
It’s important to put safety measures in place in your household to reduce the risk of possible exposures.
The KPCC recommends you check the labels to make sure you have the correct product, read all of the safety warnings and follow the directions to the products closely, even if it’s a product you’ve used before and think is safe.
Other tips include:
- When recommended, wear protective gear.
- Don’t mix cleaning products as this can produce toxic gas.
- If you cleaned with one product, make sure it’s completely washed away and enough time has passed before using another on the same surface.
- Keep products in their original containers.
- Don’t reuse empty containers.
- Keep household products out of sight and reach of children.
- Store potentially harmful products in a separate area away from food and beverages.
What to do if an unhealthy exposure occurs
If you ingest something poisonous, the KPCC says to not induce vomiting. The agency also advises you to not take anything by mouth, like syrup or ipecac.
Instead, call the poison control center immediately at 800-222-1222.
If the exposed person stops breathing, collapses or starts seizing, call 911 immediately.
This story was originally published March 29, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
