Mercy Health event raises awareness of dangerous household ‘pretty poisons’

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PERRYSBURG — Pretty poisons: They’re in mom’s laundry room, dad’s garage and grandma’s purse.
The laundry “pods” full of detergent look like a colorful candy. A blue plastic jug of bleach could be
mistaken for a Powerade sports drink. Tylenol could be taken for Tic Tacs.
A recent presentation at Way Public Library offered warnings and tips on “pretty poisons” that can be
found in the average home.
Companies market things to be attractive, said Nicole Knepper, RN, BSN, the
trauma/burn/outreach/prevention/education coordinator for Mercy Health.
“They want to attract people to their products,” she said. “They tend to make our cleaning products very
appealing and colorful, but they also attract kids.”
Stacked side by side, the similarity of some items can be startling.
Murphy’s Oil Soap looks just like Mott’s apple juice. A jar of Comet could easily be mistaken for Kraft
Parmesan Cheese.
Knepper encouraged adults with children around to view their belongings, homes and garages through the
little one’s eyes.
“That pink nail polish remover looks just like my favorite fruity drink,” she said. “We just get lax in
our lifestyle and don’t think about things from a child’s perspective.”
Grandparents often store pills in empty Tic Tac cases, which can be attractive to kids. In the garage,
are there any chemicals kept in pop bottles?
Purses can be particularly dangerous, Knepper said. They often have medications or antacids in them.
“Purses are probably one of the biggest offenders. It’s just a free for all,” she said.
She also encouraged adults not to refer to their medication as a sweet treat that may be tempting to a
child.
“I’ve heard adults say, ‘Grandma needs to take her candy.’ That confuses them.”
The consequences of digesting a poison can be extremely harmful, or even deadly.
Bleach can cause internal burns, Knepper said. Antifreeze damages the kidneys. Too much Tylenol can cause
liver malfunction.
“That’s one of the worst things you can overdose on,” she said of the popular pain reliever.
She also urged compassion and patience with dealing with 2- to 5-year-old children who don’t know how to
read. They’re mobile and inquisitive, Knepper said.
She cringes when people say the youngsters “will learn a lesson” if allowed to do something harmful.
“They’re curious. They’re not being bad by exploring. They’re learning,” Knepper said. “But our job is to
protect them and make sure we’re keeping them safe.”
Children should be taught as toddlers to stop and ask before they put anything in their mouths.
Knepper also noted that treating poison cases with syrup of ipecac is no longer recommended. Ipecac
causes vomiting, which could do more harm, sending a poison back up and into the mouth, she said.
A presentation similar to this one, but geared toward children, may be introduced during the summer
reading program at the library.
The third week in March is National Poison Prevention Week.

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