Poison-Proof Checklist

Have someone print this list and take it home to check for poisons. Tell your family or friends, especially children, about poisons and what to do. Talk about what poisons you found in your home and how you and your family felt about it with your classmates and teacher or tutor. If you keep a journal, write about this worksheet.
  • Never tell children that medicine or vitamins are candy. Be honest and tell them that it is medicine to make the bad germs go away and they only need it if they're very sick. Medicines can be deadly in larger doses, especially to children.
  • Never mix any cleaning or other household products together. When combined, some products, such as bleach and ammonia, give off a lethal gas that can kill quickly.
  • Never touch knobs on a [gas] stove. If your gas stove is not self-lighting, poisonous gas could accidentally leak out.
  • Don't count on child-resistant packaging to protect children. It's designed to delay children from getting into things to give you time to catch your child and get it away from your child.
  • Keep all medicines in the child-resistant packaging they came in. Tighten the child-resistant top after each use.
  • Be sure the tamper-resistant packaging is in place when using new medications or foods. If a package is open or damaged, don't use the product.
    • Post the emergency telephone number of your regional poison control center on your telephone. You can find the number inside the front cover of your local telephone directory.
    • Keep syrup of ipecac, available from a drugstore without a prescription, on hand. Syrup of ipecac may be recommended by a poison control center to make a child vomit after eating or drinking poison. Never induce vomiting unless advised by a poison control center.
  • Know that many common household substances like perfume, nail polish remover, permanent wave neutralizer, diaper pail deodorizer, shaving lotion, mouthwash, and liquor can hurt or even kill children.
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  • Warn caregivers, especially grandparents who do not have young children in their home, to keep medicines and household products out of children's reach.
  • Never put household products in other containers like cups or soda bottles.
  • Keep all plants out of reach of children. Here are some poisonous plants you may have in your house or garden:
    House PlantsGarden Plants
    Dumb cane
    English ivy
    Foxglove
    Holly
    Hyacinth bulbs, leaves & flowers
    Hydrangea
    Iris rootstalk & rhizome
    Lily of the valley
    Mistletoe
    Philodendron
    Poinsettia
    Jerusalem cherry
    Azalea
    Rhododendron
    Caladium
    Daffodil bulbs
    Daphne
    English ivy
    Foxglove
    Holly
    Hyacinth bulbs, leaves & flowers
    Hydrangea
    Iris rootstalk & rhizome
    Japanese yew seeds & leaves
    		 Larkspur
    Laurel
    Lily of the valley
    Morning glory seeds
    Narcissus bulbs
    Oleander
    Privet
    Rhubarb leaves
    Sweet peas (especially "peas")
    Tomato plant leaves
    Wisteria pods & seeds
    Yews

    Call your local Poison Control Center if someone chews or eats a poisonous plant!

  • Houses built before 1980 may have poisonous lead paint inside and outside. If you aren't sure about your home, contact your local health department to find out where you can have your paint tested. Do this before sanding, stripping, or scraping, which could release poisonous dust and fumes.
  • Have your paint tested for lead, then get rid of any paint that contains lead. Keep your child away from leaded paint or broken plaster.
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  • Mop floors and wipe counters twice a week to pick up lead dust.
  • Wash children's hands and toys often — especially toys that go into the mouth.
  • Use cold water when preparing food for your family. Hot water picks up more lead from pipes. Let water run for at least one full minute before using it so lead that has built up while sitting in pipes is flushed out.
  • Don't put canned food in the refrigerator — transfer it to plastic or glass containers.
  • Check to be sure your dishes aren't made with leaded ceramic glaze.
  • Serve and eat foods high in iron and calcium to lower the risks of lead to the body.
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