Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, March 3, 1992                   TAG: 9203030085
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: E-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ROBERT HOFFMAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: NEW YORK                                LENGTH: Medium

POISON PREVENTION SHOULD BEGIN AT HOME

But the peril exists in most homes and parents should take special precautions to prevent accidental poisoning.

Young children in the home often grab and pull at anything they can reach. So, the rule of thumb is that anything children can get hold of will go directly from hand to mouth.

With this in mind, medicines and detergents should be stored in areas that a child can neither reach nor open.

Potentially poisonous materials, for example, should not be kept under the kitchen sink. These items should be contained in a locked cabinet or on a shelf high enough to be out of the reach of children.

Child safety latches can be attached to most cabinets. These are often too difficult for a child to manipulate easily, but they can be easily unlocked by adults.

Hazardous products should be stored in their original containers. Chemicals should never be put into old milk or soda bottles, where a child could confuse the hazardous chemical content with a beverage.

Daily doses of medication should not be placed on the breakfast table or laid out in plain view of a child. The colorful pills and capsules can quickly be picked up and eaten by a curious youngster.

Children should be told that medicines are harmful if not taken properly. Never tell your children that medicine is candy in order to get them to take it. They should also be told not to touch any detergents which might also hurt them.

There are steps to take ahead of time to prepare for a possible accidental poisoning:

Find the phone number of the local poison control center on the inside cover of the local phone book, then stick the number directly on the telephone. Make sure that the number is correctly copied.

If a child swallows something which might be poisonous, the local poison control center should be called immediately.

Keep syrup of ipecac in the home; it is a medicine that induces vomiting. But don't give it to a child unless instructed to do so by the poison control center or your pediatrician.

When calling the poison control center, be ready with the child, ipecac and the poisonous product's container, so that you can answer questions and follow directions quickly.

The container which held the potentially harmful substance is important because the label should contain a list of ingredients.

When taking a child to visit other families who do not have children, be extra mindful of poison hazards.

Dr. Robert Hoffman is a toxicologist at New York University Medical Center.