European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 2, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Protect kids from accidental poisoning by Janet d Agostino medical writer four year old Johnny pushes Kitchen chair against the counter climbs onto the chair and then onto the counter top. He opens a Cabinet door and pokes through bottles jars and spice tins eventually grabbing a bottle filled with aspirin that mom has stashed away for the headaches she sometimes gets during the Day. Johnny fiddles patiently with the top until the bottle opens and then starts to eat the White tablets inside. Mom walks in the Kitchen after changing the baby s diaper and finds Johnny still on the counter top but now engrossed in another object. She spots the open bottle of aspirin which has spilled on the counter. Uncertain if her son has swallowed any of the aspirin she looks inside his Mouth and sees flecks of a White substance. In a panic she Calls her local army clinic. The scene described above is fictional but not unlikely to happen in real life. Aspirin and tylenol Are two of the most common substances involved in the poisoning of children according to capt. Matthew a. Witt assistant chief of pharmacy service at the Frankfurt army regional medical Center. Aspirin and tylenol Are frequently swallowed by children because they Are available in so Many households he said. They Are also very lethal when taken by Small children. Everyone has them in their household for minor aches and pain Witt said. They Are very useful drugs when used  children Are most susceptible to accidental poisonings Between the Ages of 1 and 8, before they really begin to understand right and wrong but when they have become Mobile and their curiosity is piqued Witt said. Substances they commonly find to Swallow inhale pour or Spray on themselves Are prescription medication Over the counter drugs and household products such As Drain cleaners and furniture polish he said. Parents Witt said Don t realize How successful children can be in finding these substances. Children spend the total Day satisfying this curiosity they have he said. I Don t think parents fully appreciate How ingenious they children can be and How successful they can be in finding substances that can Hurt them. Because of this Witt said it is difficult to child proof a Home. But the following Steps can help prevent a child from being poisoned. Keep All household chemical products and medicines out of reach and out of sight and preferably locked up when not in use. Never let your children out of sight i lie never let children out of sight when household chemical products Are in use. When these products Are in use even to answer the Telephone or Doorbell. Store All medicines separately from household products and All household chemical products away from food. Keep items in their original containers. Leave original labels on All products and read the labels before using. Labels often list first Aid Steps to follow for accidental poisonings. Avoid taking medication in front of children because they tend to imitate adults. Never refer to Medicine As Candy always say Medicine. Clean out the Medicine Cabinet periodically and safely dispose of unneeded medicines when the illness for which they were prescribed is Over. Don t rely on child proof containers to Stop children from opening the bottle. Don t use cups or soft drink bottles to hold paint thinner turpentine or gasoline because children associate cups soft drink bottles and drinking glasses with food and drink. Adults also can be the victims of accidental poisonings especially the elderly who cannot see Well enough to read the labels or fail to follow instructions Witt said. Some people May confuse one Medicine for another especially if the Light is not on when they reach for a medication at night. Others May take too much of a Medicine or May mix medicines with alcohol or other substances. For examples antihistamines taken for Hay fever cause drowsiness. Drinking alcohol will increase the drowsiness possibly leading to an Accident at Home at work or while driving. Adults can avoid being poisoned by Reading the labels carefully and following instructions when taking Medicine. Calling a doctor or a pharmacist if you have questions about a medication. Turning on a Light at night when you need to take a Medicine. Never taking More than the prescribed amount of Medicine and never taking Medicine sooner or More often than the directions say. Always Tell your doctor and your pharmacist what other medicines you Are taking so you can avoid Adverse drug interactions. To your health Basic first Aidi f you think your child May have swallowed a Medicine or household product your first reaction May be to panic. But staying Calm and following some Basic first Aid Steps can help get your child the treatment he needs More quickly said capt. Matthew a. Witt assistant chief of pharmacy service at the Frankfurt army regional medical Center if you find your child playing with Medicine or household products but do not know if he has taken any examine his face to see if the substance has remained around his Mouth and Teeth there May be Burns around his lips or Mouth from corrosive items or there May be a characteristic breath odor from items such As Petroleum products. Some of the substance May be missing from the Container. If the product is a caustic or other household chemical dilute the ingested material by immediately offering the child a Glass of Cool water. This can almost never be harmful Witt said. However do not Force the child to have water if he does not want it. The child s physical reactions to the Poison May vary depending on the product. Sometimes the child May vomit or he May appear to be drowsy or sluggish. Read the Label on the product for advice on what immediate first Aid Steps can be taken. Never induce vomiting without first talking to medical personnel vomiting corrosive substances such As Strong acids can cause further damage on the Way up. A one ounce bottle of syrup of ipecac can be kept on hand for each child but should not be used without first talking to a health professional. Ipecac is a reliable and Safe emetic a drug that causes vomiting when used appropriately for acute poisoning. It is available without a prescription in the United states but requires a prescription in army pharmacies in Europe. However it is not a prescription drug in All air Force hospitals and clinics. Ipecac is not sold individually by cafes but is sold in Exchange stores As part of an emergency Poison treatment kit an cafes spokesman said. Vomiting usually begins 15 to 30 minutes after giving the ipecac and subsides within one to four hours. Seek medical advice even if you suspect but Don t know for sure that your child has ingested a potentially hazardous product Witt said. Call your nearest military clinic or Hospital or a Host National Hospital if you know they have English speaking staff members. Keep emergency numbers near the phone. Medical personnel will need to know victim s age and weight. Poison involved and if it was swallowed inhaled splashed in the eyes or absorbed through the skin. Have the product Label ready because it provides information about the product s Content approximately How Long ago the poisoning occurred. If the victim has vomited or is exhibiting any unusual symptoms. Any first Aid which you have already Given. Your location and phone number and How Long it would take for you to get to a Hospital. Files a tuesday August 2, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 17