By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It's National Poison Prevention Week. Cherie Sage with Safe Kids Kansas notes that it's important to keep things that can be ingested out of the reach of children.
"Our young kids are really at risk," Sage said. "They can't tell the difference between what is a poison and what is maybe a tasty drink or some food."
Keep the Poison Control number handy in case of emergency.
"We recommend to people that you go ahead and program that number, it's 800-222-1222," Sage said. "Program that into your phone in case of an emergency. We've been talking for years about, make sure you post that on the refrigerator."
The number needs to be easy to find in case someone is at your house that doesn't normally live there.
"When you call that hotline number, you can call it anywhere in the United States, those calls are answered by nurses and pharmacists and doctors," Sage said. "They can actually help in any of 150 languages. It's good to know that this is in your back pocket, that you have these experts and you can call, not only with an emergency situation, but you also can call them any time of day for information."
If you need to know about drug interactions or any other type of potential poisoning, feel free to call. More than 70% of hotline callers are able to get help without the expense of a trip to the hospital.