YOUNG children are most often poisoned by accident through things commonly found at home, such as:

Medicines

Kerosene and other volatile fuels

Detergent

Bleach

Fertiliser

Pesticide

Paint and solvents

Mothballs

AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION

Poisoning can be prevented through the following safety measures:

Lock all cabinets containing harmful substances with childproof locks from a reputable hardware shop.

Do not re-use drink bottles to fill in other chemicals like kerosene, bleach, fertiliser or thinner. Even if you re-label the bottles, your child in his curiosity will not read the label and may drink the contents.

Keep all medicines locked up. When you take medicines, take them out of children's sight.

Tell children that medicine is medicine, not "sweets", and that they are only to take it when you give it to them.

Don't leave mothballs loose in cupboards. They are often mistaken for hard candy, with tragic results. If you must use them, hang them in a cloth sachet from the clothes rail where children can't reach.

Store all detergents, chemicals, and other potentially poisonous substances more than 1.75 metres above ground level so that children cannot reach them.

Don't leave children playing unsupervised.

Remember that cosmetics and some plants in the garden can also be poisonous.

IF ANYTHING HAPPENS

No matter how careful you are to store the above and other potentially dangerous poisons far out of children's reach, accidental ingestion can happen. So what can you do when your precious little one encounters something poisonous?

Poison on the skin

What to do:

Remove child's clothing

Rinse affected area with clean lukewarm water

If skin appears to have been burnt by poison, continue rinsing under running water for at least 15 minutes

Seek medical attention immediately and take the poison with you

What not to do:

Use extremely hot or cold water

Apply ointment or medication, unless directed by doctor

Scrub the skin

Poison in the eye

What to do:

Hold eyelid open

Rinse the eye under running water for at least 15 minutes

Take child to the nearest hospital with an emergency department and an ophthalmologist

What not to do:

Use eye drops or eye bath, unless directed by doctor

"Rub" the eye

Swallowed poison

What to do:

Take the poison away from the child

If the poison is still in the child's mouth, get him to spit it out or use your fingers to remove it

Induce vomiting only if you are sure the poison is not a volatile substance (eg kerosene)

Collect whatever is spit out, as well as any poison left in the container, and show it to the doctor. Take him to the emergency department as soon as possible because the longer you wait, more of the poison is absorbed into the body.

What not to do:

Force the child to vomit if you are not sure of the nature of the poison.

In case of emergency

Don't underestimate the effects of some common household products on a young child's body. It may be difficult to be sure if your child has swallowed or touched anything poisonous, but the following may indicate that he has.

If your child has any of the following symptoms, bring him to the doctor or emergency ward immediately: sore throat; difficulty with breathing; drowsiness and irritability or restlessness; nausea, vomiting or stomach pain with no fever; blisters or burns around the lips and mouth; abnormal drooling; strange odours on the breath; strange stains on the clothing; seizures; unconsciousness.

Useful information

The following will be useful for the doctor or medical personnel to determine how to treat your child:

What was taken

Describe the item

If it was medicine, bring along the container and what's left in it

If it was something else, for example, part of a plant or a household ornament, bring it to show the doctor

How much was taken

When it was taken

What had been done before taking child for medical attention

• Datuk Dr Zulkifli Ismail is a consultant paediatrician, Immediate-Past President of the Malaysian Paediatric Association and Chairman of the Positive Parenting Management Committee. The Positive Parenting Programme is managed by Malaysian Paediatric Association. For further information, please visit www.mypositiveparenting.org

This story was first published in The Star on May 11, 2008.