The telephone rings while you are cleaning the kitchen counters. You leave your 3-year-old playing in the floor while you grab the phone. When you return a few seconds later, your child is playing in a pool of cleaner. What do you do?
Situations like the one above happen to families all across America. Questions about possible poisonings in children are the most common calls received at the West Virginia Poison Center. Although scary, many children do not need to visit the emergency room after an exposure. However, you should never assume that this will be the case for your child. A call to the West Virginia Poison Center (WVPC) can set your mind at ease and get you the answers you need 24/7. Do not wait for symptoms to appear!
Here are a few tips from the WVPC to help protect your child from accidental poisonings:

• Keep medicines and household products out of children’s reach, preferably locked up.
• Remember, child-resistant packaging does not mean child-proof.
• Teach children about the dangers of poisonings and remind them to ask adults before touching unknown items.
• Poisons and edible items may look alike to children. Teach children to always ask before eating something.
• Do not leave medicine or cleaning products unattended, even if just for a moment.
  If you suspect a child may have been poisoned, immediately contact the WVPC at 1.800.222.1222. A trained health care professional will answer your call.