We've all seen the dreaded skull and crossbones. It's the symbol for danger ahead. We're talking about the risks of poisoning. For parents, especially those with small children, it's a very real threat. Take a close look around your house, and you'll find risks just about everywhere you look. There are precautions you can take to ensure that you'll never have to place that dreaded call to the national poison hotline. In the event that you do need to contact the American Association of Poison Control Centers, the number is 800-222-1222. {relatedarticles}You should have the number in a visible place such as the refrigerator. Here are some ways to avert disasters before they happen. Keep all medicines - regardless of how innocuous they may seem - locked up in a cabinet. Even if you've placed them up high, children can still climb the counters and access medicines. If you carry medicine in your purse, keep it out of reach.Store medicines in their original containers so that you know what they are. Let your children know that medicine is dangerous. Cleaning products are every bit as dangerous.
Keep these up high in cabinets that are secured by safety locks. Don't ever keep cleaning products under the sink. Although alcoholic beverages might seem like they don't pose as much of a threat, they do. Keep bottles locked up and out of reach. Make sure that adults are aware of where they set down drinks if there are children at parties or special occasions where alcohol is being served. {relatedarticles}Adults should always keep perfume, hair dye, nail polish and nail polish remover, shoe polish and other chemical products put away. Never mix household products together, especially if children are around. Do not ever allude to medicine as "candy" to children. Whenever you're done using a chemical product, return it to a locked cabinet. If you believe your child has been poisoned, call 911 immediately if the victim has collapsed or isn't breathing. If the victim is awake, call the poison control hotline. Make sure you know the person's age and weight, the time it happened, the address of where it happened. Also have the bottle on hand. Stay on the phone and do as instructed.