MINNEAPOLIS --- Children move quickly. They can find trouble in a matter of seconds. Half of all calls to the national poison hotline involve children age six or younger.
It’s important, even for the best parents and grandparents, to have the number for the poison prevention center handy. When people call 1-800-222-1222, they are connected immediately to the poison crisis center nearest them.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says poisoning causes 35,000 deaths each year. Drug-related poisonings result in nearly 700,000 emergency room trips each year.
Is your home safe?
The Minnesota Poison Control System has some simple suggestions to prevent poison exposures in children.
Poisonings can happen anytime, anywhere, and to anyone. About 50 percent of poisonings occur in children under the age of 6 years old. 94% of poisonings occur in the home. Over 50% of poison exposure calls involve medications. These exposures are preventable.
Take action
· Program 1-800-222-1222 in your cell or home phones
· Keep medicines and household products in their original containers
· Keep all medicines and household products up high and out-of-sight or locked up
· Never call medicine “candy”
Visit www.mnpoison.org for more prevention tips, educational resources, and downloadable materials. Orders can be placed for free Poison Help magnets, stickers, and brochures.
Additional Resources
Anytime, Anywhere, Anyone can call the Minnesota Poison Control System at 1-800-222-1222.
Anytime -- The Poison Center Emergency Call Center is available 24/7/365
- The Poison Center staff provide specialized medical information and advice on safe management at home or the need for immediate transport to a medical facility
- The Poison Center staff consult throughout the care process and call to follow-up
Anywhere -- calls come from all 87 Minnesota counties
- 48,446 calls in 2014 from homes, schools, workplaces, and health care facilities statewide
Anyone -- can call for help managing poison emergencies
- Community members: call for help with infants, children, teens, adults, and seniors
- Providers: EMT’s, first responders, paramedics, physicians, physician assistants, and nurses
The Poison Center saves lives and money all across Minnesota. According to the Poison Center, every $1 spent on Poison Center services SAVES over $13 in unnecessary medical costs.
- In 2015, MN Poison Center says it provided poison information to 4,835 callers, and was consulted on 42,571 exposures.
- The MN Poison Center staff was able to manage 92% of exposure calls without the patient needing to go to an emergency center.
Follow The Poison Center on Twitter @mnpoisoncenter or on Facebook.
Additional Resources
What to do in a poisoning emergency http://poisonhelp.hrsa.gov/what-can-you-do/emergency-checklist/index.html
Who is most at-risk for poisoning http://poisonhelp.hrsa.gov/poison-info/who-is-at-risk/index.html
How to poison-proof your house: http://poisonhelp.hrsa.gov/what-can-you-do/poison-proof-your-home/index.html
Find a poison center nationwide http://poisonhelp.hrsa.gov/poison-centers/index.html
FAQs about poison emergencies http://poisonhelp.hrsa.gov/faqs/index.html
Know Your Numbers is a community health outreach program for Health Fair 11. Health Fair 11 is a collaboration of Minnesota Health Fairs, Inc., KARE 11 TV, UCare, and Hennepin County Medical Center. The mission of this nonprofit organization is to provide health care education, materials for consumers, and free or low cost screenings to members of our community. Contact us at healthfair@kare11.com.
