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In less than a minute, a curious toddler can turn a kitchen, bathroom or garage into a poisonous playground. Drain cleaner, furniture polish, bleach, aspirin and cough medicine usually carry labels cautioning, "Keep out of reach of children."

In spite of mandated child-resistant packaging that went into effect into early 1970s, the number of children ingesting or being exposed to household medicines and chemicals continues to be high. About 1 million children 5 and younger are exposed to potentially poisonous substances each year, according to a 2001 report from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

 Toddlers at highest risk

Children younger than 5 are at the highest risk for accidental poisoning because they often put anything into their mouths. The most common poison exposures for children were ingesting household products such as cosmetics and personal care products, cleaning substances, pain relievers, foreign bodies, and plants, according the CDC. They are beginning to get mobile, and cabinets and closets become great places of exploration and danger. As their mobility, dexterity and ingenuity increases, they can reach medicines and household chemicals wherever stored. That means, in addition to that drain cleaner under the kitchen sink, the furniture polish on an end table can spell disaster.

When children start to climb, they can reach medicine on countertops or open the medicine cabinet to get to the medicine. Poison control specialists advise locking household chemicals or medicines where possible.

Experts say many incidents happen when adults are using a product but are distracted when, for instance, the telephone or doorbell rings.

How to prevent poisoning

Here are some other general guidelines for safety regarding accidental poisoning:

• Never refer to medicine as "candy."
• Do not leave alcohol within a child's reach.
• Read labels explicitly before administering medications (particularly in the middle of the night).
• Always replace the safety caps as soon as you pour any medicine or use a household substance that can cause injury.
• Keep products in their original containers. Never put paint thinner, turpentine, gasoline or other household chemicals in food or drink containers. Children associate cups, soft drink bottles and drinking glasses with food and drink. Check your home often for old medications or substances and discard them.
• Be alert for repeated poisonings. Children who swallow a poison are likely to try again within a year.

Taking emergency action

What should you do if you find your youngster playing with a bottle of medicine or some household product? Although reactions vary depending on the product, there may be certain visible signs. Some substance may be around the child's mouth and teeth, for example. Burns might be around the lips or mouth from corrosive products, or you may be able to smell it on the child's breath. Some products cause no immediate symptoms.

In the case of accidental poisoning, experts say remain calm. Not all medicines and household chemicals are poisonous, and not all exposures necessarily result in poisoning. Call the poison control center immediately.

About 100 poison control centers in the United States maintain information for the doctor or the public on recommended treatment for the ingestion of household products and medicines. They are familiar with the toxicity of most substances found in the home or know how to find that information. If you are unable to contact a poison control center.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers and the American College of Emergency Physicians also offer this quick emergency action plan for various kinds of poisonings:

Inhaled poison: Quickly get the child to fresh air. Do not breathe the fumes. Open doors and windows wide.

Poison on the skin: Remove contaminated clothing. Rinse skin continuously with water for 15 minutes. Then wash gently with soap and water. Rinse again.

Poison in the eye: Quickly start gently rinsing the eye with lukewarm (not hot) water and continue for 15 minutes. Have the child blink as much as possible while rinsing the eye. Do not force eyelid open.

Swallowed poisons: If the child has swallowed medicine, do not give anything by mouth unless advised by the poison control center or a doctor. If the person has swallowed a chemical or household product and is awake and able to swallow, quickly give a glass of water (2 ounces to 8 ounces) as directed by the Poison Control Center. Do NOT make the person vomit unless told to do so by the Poison Control Center or a doctor. First aid instructions on product labels may be wrong so contact the Poison Control Center early and quickly for help.

In a recent policy statement, "Poison Treatment in the Home," the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that syrup of ipecac no longer be used routinely as a home treatment strategy. Until now, the AAP advised that parents keep a 1-ounce bottle of syrup of ipecac in the home to induce vomiting if it was feared a child had swallowed a poisonous substance. Ipecac was recommended for use only on the advice of a doctor or poison control center. Although it seems to make sense to induce vomiting after the ingestion of a potentially poisonous substance, it was never proven to be effective in preventing poisoning. Recent research has failed to show benefit for children who were treated with ipecac. This is the key reason for this policy change.

For  more  information  please  ask  your  physician  on  your  next  visit.