Posted: 3/21/2016
North Texas Poison Center experts provide 24/7 assistance
Poisonings can happen anywhere and to anyone. While the majority of poisonings happen at home, they can also occur in the workplace, schools or virtually anywhere and affect young children, teenagers, adults and the elderly.
Poisonings remain the leading cause of injury death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s why the observance of National Poison Prevention Week March 20-26 is so important, say experts at the North Texas Poison Center (NTPC) located at Parkland Health & Hospital System.
“This annual observance focuses attention on poison centers around the country that provide prevention education year-round to help reduce the number of accidents and raises awareness that health professionals are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help with any concerns or questions,” said Mike Yudizky, Public Health Education Manager at the NTPC.
This year’s Poison Prevention Week has two main themes: “Children Act Fast, So Do Poisons” and “Poisonings Span a Lifetime.” Each day of Poison Prevention Week is dedicated to a specific topic such as home safety, medication safety and the role poison centers play in saving lives and money.
Nationally, 55 poison centers provide services to all 50 states. Anyone who needs assistance anywhere in the country can dial the toll-free number 1-800-222-1222 and be connected to one of the centers.
Officials stress that it is not only parents and adults who benefit from the services these centers offer, but also healthcare professionals in emergency rooms and hospitals who rely on poison center experts’ assistance in diagnosis and treatment of patients. In 2015, 89 percent of human exposure calls to the NTPC were treated at home, saving millions of dollars in unnecessary ER visits, according to Melody Gardner, RN, Managing Director of the NTPC.
“The national hotline is an invaluable resource for Texas families,” Gardner said. “People who call the number are automatically connected to specially trained nurses, pharmacists and doctors at the closest poison facility.”
Today, as it has since opening more than 30 years ago, the staff of the NTPC is available to answer questions about everything from insecticides and snake bites to the effects of “designer” drugs such as synthetic marijuana. Many calls to the NTPC are related to prescription drugs and potential overdoses.
“We teach prevention, so we’re informing parents about things they can do to prevent poisonings from happening,” Yudizky said. “It’s especially important to keep potentially hazardous items such as medications and cleaning products up and away from a child’s reach and sight.”
Since one of the primary places unintended poisonings occur is the home, NTPC experts offer four key safety tips to prevent accidental poisonings, especially of children. First, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and heed the product’s warnings. Second, always keep the product sealed in its original, and often child-resistant, containers. Third, store the product out of a child’s sight and reach. And fourth, call the poison hotline in case of an exposure.
Texas residents can visit www.poisoncontrol.org for information and can order pamphlets from the site on topics such as poison prevention, safety tips for baby’s first year, insect bites and stings, and poisonous plants and snakes, among others.