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Mr. Yuk can keep junior out of harm
By Michael Warren
Contributor
Published October 27, 2009
As with everyone who’s “married with children,” our kids were hardly immune from having accidents, and we had our share of problems — visits to the emergency room, broken bones and even pills eaten by a toddler who thought he’d found a new kind of candy.
The need to “childproof” your home against poisonous materials is extremely important.
Infants cannot read, and a pretty red pill is very enticing — whether it’s a jelly bean or medication for a stomach ulcer.
Be sure that all medications are out of reach of tiny fingers; that cleansing materials are stored on top shelves; that the fancy, wild plant you found in your back yard won’t poison your adventurous two-year-old; and that the cute little furry creature on the back porch isn’t some kind of poisonous mini-monster.
But, regardless of how much care you take, it seems that small children always can find a way to stay one step ahead of mom and dad. And that could mean the need for help from the Poison Control Center.
Although the center’s phone number should be in the local telephone book, you should make sure it’s even more readily available.
An emergency requires immediate action; there is no time for you to hunt around for the appropriate telephone number. So be prepared! Find the number now and spend a few minutes that could prove invaluable at some future time.
Fix the number of the Poison Control Center to every telephone in your house; find a prominent place on you refrigerator door; tape it to your medicine cabinet; write it in you address book; keep it in your glove compartment.
The Poison Control center also can provide you with a supply of “Mr. Yuk” stickers that you can put on all the dangerous and poisonous articles in your home. Teach your children not to touch anything with Mr. Yuk on it. Believe me, even toddlers can learn.
Should a possible emergency arise, call the Center for advice or information — and don’t ever allow a friend or family member to convince you that such a call is not necessary.
Even if you think the stuff that junior has just eaten might not be harmful, make the call to the center anyway; particularly in this type of situation, there is much to be said for the old expression, “It’s better to be safe than sorry.”
Dr. Michael M. Warren is Ashbel Smith professor of surgery at University of Texas Medical Branch Division of Urology.
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