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Poison Prevention Tips

The 2012 Poison Prevention Week was March 18 - 24 but poison prevention can happen all year long! Below are a few tips to help with poison prevention:

Poisonings span a lifetime

• Poison prevention is for everyone, from children to seniors and everyone in between!
• Poisoning is a big deal! Poisoning is the leading cause of death from injuries in the United States - ahead of motor vehicle crashes and guns.

Children act fast... so do poisons

• Keep cleaning supplies and medicines locked up and away from children.
• Tell children what medicine is and why you must be the one to give it to them. Never call medicine "candy" to get them to take it.

Poison Centers: Saving lives 24/7

• Poison centers provide free, confidential medical advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year.
• U.S. Poison Centers answer more than 4 million calls each year. That's one every eight seconds!

Take your medicine safely

• Always turn on the light and put on your glasses when giving or taking medicine. Check the dosage each time.
• Poisonings can happen to anyone, and poison centers are for everyone.

Home, Safe Home

• More than 90 percent of poisonings happen in people's homes, mainly in the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom.
• Keep all medicines, household cleaners and garden chemicals up high where children can't see or reach them,
• Never mix household cleaning products together. Mixing them could create a poisonous gas.

Poisoning Prevention Superheroes

• Teach your children to ask an adult before eating, drinking or touching anything.
• Go through your garage and other rooms in the house to make sure poisons are locked up high and out of sight.
• Share poisoning prevention tips with your friends, family and coworkers.

If the unthinkable happens, it's good to know help is just a phone call away. Program your cell phone with the Poison Help number and post it near your home phone: 1-800-222-1222.

Poison Emergency

If this is a Poison Emergency, please call 1-800-222-1222.

This national poison emergency hotline number connects callers to the closest/local poison center. Ohio residents are serviced by one of the 3 regional poison centers located in Cleveland, Cincinnati or Columbus.

The Central Ohio Poison Center also offers assistance to the hearing impaired (T.T.Y.): 1-866-688-0088.

Call the Poison Center first! If a person is unconscious, call 911.

What is the nationwide poison center number?
All regional poison centers in the United States will be accessed via 1-800-222-1222. When you call the number, you will reach one of the three Ohio Poison centers, located in Cleveland, Cincinnati, or Columbus. The Central Ohio Poison Center in Columbus services 44 Ohio Counties.

Who will answer the phone when you call?
Health care professionals including pharmacists, nurses or physicians staff the Central Ohio Poison Center. Most of them have passed a special certification exam classifying them as certified specialists in poison information (CSPI). They are local experts who know the community and are trusted by local doctors, pharmacists, paramedics and nurses to provide the best information on poison-related questions and treatments.

Why is it important to support poison centers?
In December 1993, members of an Oregon family suffered severe respiratory symptoms after using a new type of leather cleaning spray. An alert poison control center director notified colleagues nationally and set in motion a response to the potential crisis. Within four hours, the manufacturer had voluntarily recalled the aerosol cleaner and stores throughout the country were directed to remove the product from their shelves. For over 20 years, poison control centers have prevented or restricted public health catastrophes such as the leather spray episode. However, dwindling support from state and local government, as well as financial pressure on hospitals, have forced many poison control centers to close.

Contact Information

Community Resource Program
Central Ohio Poison Center
700 Children's Dr.
Columbus, OH 43205
Main Office Line: (614) 355-0435
Fax: (614) 355-0455

Department Highlights

Help Save Your Poison Center:

U.S. budget cuts threaten valuable poison centers. Please let your representatives in Washington, D.C., know that you believe poison centers are vital and that you support funding to keep them running 24/7/365. To join your voice with other poison center supporters, register for the AAPCC advocacy network at www.capwiz.com/aapcc, then send a letter to your elected officials by clicking on “Take Action” in the featured alert.

Check It Out: 2010 Annual Report       

Read our 2010 Annual Report to learn about the programs we offer at the Central Ohio Poison Center.

"The Doctors" Discuss Accidental Poisoning

From the TV show, The Doctors, learn what to do in the event of an accidental poisoning and why it’s so important to keep ALL medicine and vitamins out of kids’ reach. Watch the video »

Also from the experts at Nationwide Children’s Hospital:

• Poison Instruction Sheet
• Household Safety: Preventing Poisoning

Make a Gift          

If you would like to contribute to the Central Ohio Poison Center, please visit our Foundation to make a gift. Thank you!

Pill Identification             

If you need to have a medication identified or want to obtain more information about your medication, please contact your pharmacist or visit www.Drugs.com. This site is an accurate, comprehensive and current online source of drug information, providing free and independent advice on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and natural products.