WASHINGTON , Sep 22, 2020 / PRNewswire / - As parents remain vigilant during the pandemic to keep their homes as clean as possible, the demand for cleaning products has increased. At the same time, the combination of more young children at home for virtual learning and parents and guardians focusing on multiple priorities at the same time results in less supervision and more calling. Poison Help Number regarding children's exposure to cleaning products.
For example, the number of exposures to hand sanitizer in poison control centers increased by 70% from January to August compared to the same period in 2019. This could be due in part to the fact that in the more time kids spend at home, the more alcohol-based hand sanitizer comes in containers that look like water bottles, baby food bags, beer cans, etc.
The recent surge in hand sanitizer exposure is due to an increase in reported exposure to all cleaning products and disinfectants, which was 20% higher between January and April 2020 than the same period in 2019.Bleach was the largest increase among any cleaning product category , while alcohol-free hand sanitisers and hand sanitizers accounted for the largest share of the increase in disinfectants.
Take a look at our infographic , the COVID notice sheet and the interactive 360 ° diagram .
"We know these are tough times for families and parents are doing their best to juggle multiple roles, including monitoring kids, home counseling and teleworking," said Torine Creppy, president of Safe Kids. Worldwide. "Young children are energetic and full of curiosity, but sometimes we find them doing things they shouldn't."
"We're being inundated with calls," said Shireen Banerji , director of Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Safety. "Some children don't go to school and spend long days at home. The challenge of raising children during a pandemic, combined with more cleaning supplies at home, is the perfect storm for increased injuries."
In one case, Banergi said a father cleaned his son's high chair and dropped a cup of bleach on the tray. Her little one reached for the cup, threw it away and bleached everything over her face. Her eye was so irritated and sore that her father eventually took her to the emergency room for treatment.
Other calls to the Poison Helpline have been made by well-meaning parents and caregivers who make hand sanitizers and household cleaners that are generally not recommended. Most families do not own pharmaceutical bottles, so mistakes will occur when households use water bottles and containers to store these homemade preparations. Although the creation is clearly labeled "hand sanitizer", a child who cannot read will see a water bottle as a water bottle.
In other cases, antibacterial wipes, commonly used on doorknobs, faucets, and other badly affected areas of the house, are sometimes left on the counter for other uses. If curious young children discover a washcloth lying around or take a new one from a container within easy reach, they are likely to put it in their mouth.
Safe Kids Worldwide offers 3 tips parents can use to protect children from cleaning products during the pandemic.
- Keep household products out of the reach and sight of children. Small children are often at eye level with objects on countertops and under kitchen and bathroom sinks. You should therefore keep detergents, laundry packages, hand sanitisers and personal care products there. Children cannot reach them.
- Store household products in their original containers and read product labels. Use and store the products according to the product label. Children can get into things quickly. So remember not to leave cleaning or personal care products unattended while in use.
- Save Poison's Help number on your phone and view it at home: 1-800-222-1222. Poison control specialists provide free, confidential and expert medical advice around the clock. They can answer questions and help out in a poison emergency.
ABOUT SAFE CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD
Safe Kids Worldwide is a not-for-profit organization that works to protect children on the street, at home and while they play. Preventable injuries are the leading killer of children in the United States . Nearly a million children worldwide die from injuries each year, and almost all of these tragedies are preventable. Safe Kids works with a large network of 400+ coalitions in the US and with partners in more than 30 countries to reduce traffic accidents, drowning, falls, burns, poisoning and more. Since 1988, Safe Kids has helped reduce child mortality from accidental injuries by nearly 60 percent in the United States. Together we can do a lot more to protect children. Close up on our efforts to safekids.org .
SOURCE Safe Kids around the world
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire