NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — This past week was National Poison Prevention Week. Cherie Sage with Safe Kids Kansas said help with accidental poisonings is just a phone call away at (800) 222-1222.
"We want people to not have to call this phone number," Sage said. "The fact is, sometimes these situations occur. While we want you to prevent poisonings by keeping medications and chemicals and vitamins and things like that out of reach and out of sight of children, we want you to keep things in their original containers, so you don't accidentally drink something out of a Gatorade container that is not actually Gatorade, or that you accidentally mix medications you have problems with, those type of things, we want you to prevent. But, despite our best intentions, these things sometimes happen."
While poison centers get more calls about children, calls about teens, adults and older adults tend to be more serious. Nearly 60% of calls to the Kansas Poison Control in 2021 involved medicines or pharmaceuticals, so put those up out of reach when you can.
"When children are coming to visit you, do you have pill minders, like little pill boxes out on the counter?" Sage said. "Those are to help keep adults safe, so we know we don't forget and take two doses or forget to take a dose of our prescription medications, but it also makes it very accessible for kids."
All calls are free. More than 70% of people who call get the help they need right where they are, saving the cost of a trip to the doctor or hospital.
"You're going to get routed to the closest poison center," Sage said. "They are going to have where the closest hospitals are. You have nurses, pharmacists and doctors who are the ones that are answering these calls, so you are getting professionals. They help in more than 150 languages. Doctors and hospitals will turn to them for help every day. They are available 24-7, 365 days a year. It is a fast way to get help. You are not looking things up online and hoping you are getting accurate information. It is free, it is also confidential."
Poison Centers are not just for emergencies. You can call anytime from anywhere in the nation for information or advice.
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