Yuk to Kids Resources  

We have read a lot of information on the prevention of accidents in and around the home, work and school environment, so here are few of the very helpful tips that we have found:

Yuk to Kids tips for Parents

The home is the most common place for accidents to happen. Out of the 140 000 calls that are received each year by the Poisons Information Centre relate to situations where children have swallowed something harmful at home.

Kids Fact: Nearly 85% of all calls are related to kids under five years old.

Your house and garden are full of things you would never eat but which children find irresistible: kitty litter, potting mix, medicines and cleaning products to name a few. You can protect children by locking away or removing potential poisons.

The 8 most common child-related calls to Poisons Information Centre are about:

1. Paracetamol

2. Cough and cold preparations

3. Rat poison and mice baits

4. All-purpose/hard surface cleaners

5. Silica gel

6. Oral contraceptives

7. Antibiotics

8. Dishwashing detergents

For immediate and correct first-aid advice call the Poisons Information Centre on 131 126 (24 hours, Australia-wide).

Kids Fact: Medicine is the most likely culprit - it accounts for 70% of all cases of children being poisoned. Just about all medicines are poisonous if taken in large enough doses. This includes vitamin pills and herbal remedies .

• Putting things up high can prevent poisoning.
• Use locked cupboards or child-resistant containers.
• Remove, move and lock away dangerous items before your baby starts to move around

DON'T FORGET. little children will put things into their mouths to taste, suck, bite and swallow. Every year in Australia around 3500 children aged less than five years old will go to emergency or be admitted to hospital with accidental poisoning

Accidents with poison often coincide with changes in a child's development - when children display new curiosity, learn how to climb to a higher shelf, or how to open a new type of container. Toddlers are most at risk. They are curious and restless and too young to be cautious about chewing potting mix, eating pills or swallowing liquids that are left around the house.

REMEMBER: Many things become poisonous when they are not used in the way they are intended. Once you know what sorts of substances are dangerous, it's easier to protect your child. Use the Yuk to Kids sticker. Prevention is our protection.

Advice Corner

Before your child starts moving and climbing, make sure all dangerous items are out of reach.

• Keep all medicines, house cleaners and chemicals in child-resistant containers or locked cupboards that children can't open. Look for child-resistant lids, and store medicines and chemicals up high so that children can't climb to them.
• Avoid storing detergents, paint thinners and other hazardous liquids in empty soft drink or juice bottles so that children don't think they've found something nice to drink.
• Keep an extra eye out when you move house, go on holiday, go visiting, or have visitors over.
• If your child needs to take medicine, read the instructions and measure it carefully, and always supervise your children while they're taking medicine. If you are in any way unsure about how much to give or for how long, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
• When friends come to visit, make sure their handbags are out of children's reach, as these may contain medicines.

Not all poisons have a Yuk to Kids label. Everyday items like cleaners, detergents, chemicals, plants, and paints can poison your baby or child. Follow the correct guidelines and safety proceedures and keep us all happy!

Tips for the Kitchen.

• Keep all household cleaners out of reach and out of sight all the time.
• Put a childproof lock on your storage cabinet.
• Use Yuk to Kids Stickers to help deter children if they happen to get exposed to a dangerous product.
• Keep cleaners in original containers, rather than pouring them into used lemonade, juice or beer bottles - otherwise children might think they're something nice to drink.
• Dispose of old cleaning products appropriately when they are no longer required.
• Try safer cleaners: a mixture of vinegar and bicarbonate of soda can clean many surfaces.
• Keep dishwashing powder and liquid sealed in childproof containers, as these can cause serious mouth burns.
• Add dishwasher liquids and powders after you've stacked the dishes. Close the door immediately. When emptying the machine, wipe away any remaining powder or liquid.

Items which can poison include:

• Oven cleaner
• Detergents for the dishwasher and the sink
• Spray cleaners, such as window and bench sprays
• Cream cleaners
• Liquid cleaners, such as floor cleaners
• Ammonia
• Rat and insect poisons
• Alcohol
• Floor polish
• Kerosene
• Baby-bottle cleaners
• Disinfectants
• Rat and insect poisons
• Matches.

Tips for the Laundry or Garden Shed

• Keep paints and solvents (such as nail-polish remover or white spirits) out of reach and out of sight all the time.
• Lock your shed, garage and any storage boxes.
• Keep liquids in original containers, rather than pouring them into used lemonade, juice or beer bottles.

Items that can poison include: 

• Washing detergents
• Shoe polish
• Paint
• Paint thinner
• Turpentine
• Acids
• Kerosene
• Epoxies/ Resins (adhesives/Coatings, varnishes, solder mix)
• Glues
• Bleach
• Napisan
• Stain removers and ironing aids
• Dyes
• Petrol, turpentine, kerosene
• Pesticides and snail killer
• Herbicides
• Fertilisers
• Drain cleaner
• Cement and lime
• Wheel cleaners and other car products

Don't Forget the Medicine Cabinet

• Keep all medicines out of reach and out of sight all the time.
• Put a childproof lock on your medicine cabinet.
• Don't tell children that pills are 'special lollies' - they might be tempted to try them.
• Keep measuring cups and droppers for use with medicine only - using them as toys is dangerous because only a tiny amount of medicine can be harmful.
• Measure your child's medicine - read the label and use the recommended amount at the recommended times - as a tiny overdose can really hurt your child.
• While dosing one child, watch for siblings who might try to sample the medicine too.
• Put the medicine away as soon as you have finished with it.

What about the Bathroom?

Put the following items out of reach or in a bathroom cabinet that you can lock, as these can all be harmful to your child:

• Spray cleaners
• Toilet cleaners - fluid and 'cake'
• Shampoos and soaps, especially those with food smells
• Moisturisers and gels
• Shaving foams
• Toners and astringents
• Perfumes and aftershaves
• Lipsticks and other make-up, including nail-polish remover
• Mouthwashes, which can have a high percentage of alcohol

And in the Bedroom and Family Area

Keep perfumes and beauty products out of reach.

When family and friends visit, ask them to put handbags up out of reach.

Children might try to eat cigarette butts - check that your cigarette is completely out and then throw it in the bin, rather than on the ground or in an ashtray.

Old houses and furniture may have been painted with lead-based paint, which is poisonous. You can buy a lead-test kit at hardware stores to check whether there is lead-based paint in your house.

• Items which can poison include:
• Paints
• Glues
• Pencils and crayons
• Pet food
• Kitty litter
• Cigarettes
• Bubble-blowing solution
• Tape-head cleaner and CD and DVD cleaner
• Air freshener
• Mothballs
• Pot pourri
• Incense
• Essential oils

You can call the Poisons Information Centre on 131 126 for more information about poisons - 24-hours a day, from anywhere in Australia.

All of these medicines can harm
or even kill your child:

• Morphine and other strong painkillers
• Cough and cold medicines, including children's formulas
• Paracetamol 
• Antihistamines
• Anticonvulsants
• Antidepressants
• Heart and blood-pressure medication
• Nicotine patches and other quit-smoking treatments
• Antiseptic lotions and liquids
• Sleeping tablets
• Herbal medicines
• Vitamins, especially iron-fortified tablets
• Essential oils, such as eucalyptus and tea tree
• Iron tablets
• Gout and arthritis medications.

Important Numbers.

Dial 000 if you are in danger or need help with fire, ambulance or police. Keep a list of emergency numbers by your phone or in your mobile. Prevention is the key!