It is common for infants to keep exploring when they start moving. This is the time when the parents must ensure proper safety of the little ones. Things like drawers and cupboards, chemicals, medicines, and cleansers are harmful. They must be not accessible to the infant at all. Chemical cleaners have household poison elements in them. The infant might try to play with these hazardous chemicals out of their curiousness which is not safe. For this reason, spotting and keeping household poisons away from infants is of paramount importance.
Parents must have a thorough inspection of the house and differentiate what is safe vs what is not safe for the infant. It is very important to spot the areas or bottles or sprays that can be dangerous if the infant sprays or injects by mistake. Let us find out the common household poison products, and how to prevent the infant from household poisoning.
In This Article
Common Household Poisons And Alcohol-Based Products
By the time an infant starts crawling they have the ability to start exploring everything around them. This is also the time when they start getting easy access to harmful chemicals present in everyday items such as household cleaners, perfume bottles, etc., which creates a risk of poisoning.
So, what exactly is poisoning? The term poisoning refers to the exposure to a substance that is harmful for health or dangerous for life.
An infant can get exposed to household poisons in two ways. It can be through swallowing or inhalation. The most dangerous and common household poisons that should be out of the reach of an infant are
1. Household Cleaning Products
Cleaning agents like glass sprays, drain decloggers, bleach etc. have harmful chemicals which can result in vomiting and abdominal pain if ingested by mistake.
Cleansing products like kitchen utensils cleaner, toilet cleaners, fabric bleach, surface disinfectant, washing detergents, small household plants, kerosene, petrol, air fresheners, insecticides are extremely hazardous for the child that can end up in serious trouble for the child.
2. Opioids and Other Dangerous Drugs
The accidental ingestion of any prescribed medicines, stimulants, sedatives and opioids like Percocet and Vicodin, supplements and over the counter medication are all harmful to infants.
Iron supplements for adults can lead to diarrhoea or vomiting within a few minutes. A high dose can even cause liver damage.
3. Button Batteries
As the name indicates, the button batteries are usually small in size. They are very dangerous for an infant. Many toys, watches etc. make use of them so it is important to keep a check on accessibility to infants.
4. Laundry Detergent Pods
Young kids are curious and try colourful and soft things. The colourful and small pods are attractive but have a concentration of laundry detergent in them. In case an infant accidentally swallows and ingests it, the results can be dangerous.
5. Electronic Cigarettes
Electric cigarettes have liquid nicotine that can lead to nausea and vomiting if swallowed by children.
6. Alcohol
Parents consuming alcoholic drinks should keep the cans or bottles out of the reach of children. Other products with alcohol presence include mouthwash, colognes etc.
7. Motor Oil
Waste motor oil or even used oil has heavy chemicals that can result in nerve and kidney damage and in severe cases can cause cancer as well. The motor oil has contamination of magnesium, copper, zinc, and other heavy metals that deposit from the engine of the vehicle.
8. Latex Paint
If the infant ingests the water-soluble latex paints in large quantities, it is harmful. Few latex paints emit a harmful and strong-smelling chemical called formaldehyde that can cause irritation in the eyes, throat and nose and even cause headaches. This chemical is used in building materials like plywood, particleboard etc.
9. Oil-Based Paint
The oil-based paint contains comprises solvents that cause skin and eye irritation, cracking of skin etc. Inhaling the fumes of the paint results in fatigue, dizziness, and headache. This is temporary and can disappear when in the fresh air, however, frequent exposure can result in liver and kidney issues as well.
[Read : Child Safety: Poisons In Your Home]
Prevention From Household Poisoning
As the infant is too small, there are high chances of small or big accidents taking place. This is also the reason why parents must be always cautious and vigilant once the baby starts exploring the house or starts crawling or walking. Ingesting, swallowing, or inhaling the poison in any form is a traumatic experience for the baby, and the baby can end up with a hospital admission. It is thus vital to take the necessary steps and precautions and help in its prevention.
Here is a detailed list of precautions you can take for each type of household poison and other hazardous material and prevent your little one from being poisoned.
1. Household Cleaning Products, Insect Repellents And Other Poisons
- Keep away all poisonous chemicals or cleaners at a safe place before the baby is born since it can slip to keep them away when the baby is finally there.
- When the child is growing, it is important to childproof the house to avoid accidents.
- All sorts of chemicals, cleansers, medicines should be kept in high shelves, cupboards or lockers that are child-proof.
- It is common to have rat poison at home, but store it in a place accessible by children.
- Cleansers use high-potency chemicals and so do insect repellents do. These must never be kept in any container which is for regular cooking purposes.
- Keeping poisons in the original container is better as it prevents confusion between poison and other edible stuff.
- Never put rat poison or roach powder on the home floors if younger kids are crawling or learning to walk.
- Never spray insect spray on furniture or mattresses. Keep the dishwasher supplies and laundry detergent in a proper locked shelf or cabinet.
2. Opioids And Other Dangerous Drugs
- Never keep expired medicines or mix them with fresh ones.
- It is better to either throw them or flush them.
- Medicines that have passed the expiry date are not of any use. It is best to remove, throw or flush them.
- Unwanted medicines or drugs must not be accessible to children and must be thrown anyway.
- Always close the lid of the box or bottle tight enough and keep it back in its original place. A small negligence can lead to a big loss.
- Overdosage or underdosing of medicines is also not good for the infant.
- The correct dosage is to be given to the infant as per the instructions on the bottle.
- Avoid taking medications in front of your little baby, as it is natural for them to imitate elders and ingest the medications, which can lead to serious trouble in the future.
- Adults consume tablets and capsules which can be dangerous for infants and kids.
- Never dispose of medicines in open trash cans as the child can pick them up out of curiosity and accidentally swallow or ingest them. Always throw in a closed can where the child cannot reach
3. Button Batteries
- These can prove fatal if the infant swallows them by mistake.
- The infant can have choking issues if the button batteries get stuck in the throat of the child.
- There are even chances of the chemical from the batteries leaking out resulting in damaging the oesophagus resulting in bleeding and other injuries as well.
- Studies indicate kids can even lose appetite and have a fever, wheezing, nausea, coughing etc.
- It is best to spot household products that have button batteries and keep them away.
- Always dispose of the unused batteries and never put fresh batteries in front of a child.
- Ingestion of button batteries is very harmful to the health of the child. So, coins and batteries should not be accessible to children as their swallowing can result in blockage of airways.
[Read : What If Your Baby Chews on Batteries?]
4. Laundry Detergent Pods
- These pods are very soft and made of plastic that leads to breathing issues as well as vomiting if swallowed by mistake. The chemicals present in these pods can result in burning if the fluid goes inside the eyes.
- These soft, plastic-coated pods can result in vomiting and breathing problems when swallowed. The toddler can also get chemical burns if the fluid gets inside their eyes.
- Families having infants, babies, toddlers, and children must not keep pods or keep the containers closed and out of reach of children.
5. E-Cigarettes And Nicotine
- Electronic cigarettes and liquid nicotine should be kept away from the reach of kids.
- Parents may leave used containers accessible to children by mistake. These containers are not child-resistant and can have some residue of the fluid which can be dangerous.
- Do not try and refill e-cigarettes in front of kids.
- Dispose of empty nicotine containers. Your little ones should not be able to access them.
6. Alcohol
- Many household products like mouthwash, perfumes, and sanitisers contain ethanol, which is a source of alcohol exposure for kids.
- Personal care products and cosmetics are the most common sources of exposure to alcohol.
- Few products like vanilla extracts also have some amount of alcohol in them.
- The concentration of alcohol decides the sickness of the child.
- Alcohol can even result in respiratory issues, death, drowsiness, confusion, and vomiting.
- It is best to keep alcoholic beverages or other products with alcohol out of the reach of children.
7. Motor Oil
Hydrocarbons are found in motor oil, and these can easily get into the lungs through breathing or ingestion, leading to pneumonia or death at times.
Always keep motor oils out of reach and lock the oils.
Never leave the child alone with any oil. No negligence should be done in this regard as the consequences can be dangerous.
8. Latex Paint
- Volatile organic compounds or VOCs are the reason for paint fumes which when evaporated, release strong chemicals like benzene, formaldehyde etc which are harmful to health.
- To ensure the safety of the baby, it is best to choose low VOCs or zero VOC paint.
- It is better to opt for water-based or natural paints.
- Keep the child away from where the paint is being used.
9. Oil-Based Paints
- Keeping the windows and doors open while painting helps the fumes to escape to a great extent and minimise harm
- Always keep the fan on during painting and even for another 48 hours for the smell to vanish completely.
- Never keep the paint cans open and leave the child alone with them.
- It is better to keep the child away from the painted room to avoid exposure.
10. Additional Precautions
- In case the child uses a hearing aid, always buy one that has a child-resistant battery compartment.
- It is normal for small kids to explore the bags and purses of anybody in the house out of curiosity. Till a certain age where they cannot understand, it is best to keep it out of their reach. Else the baby can accidentally try and experiment with small coins, medicines, keys, sharp objects, body mist etc.
- Never try and attempt to induce vomiting or follow the internet and try to neutralize poison with the help of home hacks unless advised by a medical health expert.
- Baby care products like soaps, creams, lotions, powders, glues, and paints are yet another thing to watch out for when the baby is alone.
- Always buy non-toxic and child-friendly supplies.
Infants are very curious and inquisitive, so it is better to be well prepared and childproof the house well. Since household poisoning agents are found in many things around the house, it is best to be vigilant of anything a child picks up. Any ingestion, inhaling, irritation should not be treated lightly, and medical consultation should be done at the earliest.
FAQ’s
1. What Are The Signs a Person Has Been Poisoned?
The signs of poisoning include
- Redness or burns around the lips or the mouth
- Vomiting
- Drowsiness
- Breathing difficulty
- Confusion
- Breath smelling like paint thinner, chemicals or gasoline.
2. How do You Keep Chemicals Off Kids?
Always store all bleach, kitchen, bathroom, and other household cleaners in a high shelf or cabinet. Keep chemicals in their original containers to avoid confusing hazardous materials with safe ones. Never leave chemicals at accessible places to your little ones.
3. How And Where to Store the Toxic Materials?
Proper ventilation is important for the storage area. Store all the toxic agents separately, away from the handling and processing areas. The storage area must be fire-resistant and made from non-combustible materials.
You must take every care and precaution at spotting and keeping household poisons away from infants. These poisons can be quite harmful and it is always better to take all necessary precautions and be safe than be sorry later, once the accident happens.
Read Also: Accidental Poisoning in Babies: Prevention and First Aid by Dr. Chetan Ginigeri
