ROANOKE, Va. – The third week in March is recognized by Congress as National Poison Prevention Week.
It’s a time officials share ways to protect children from accidental poisonings.
Every year, 60,000 children under the age of five end up in the emergency room after accidentally taking medicine they weren’t supposed to.
To prevent this, doctors recommend putting medicine in a cabinet that cannot be reached, same with cleaning supplies.
“It’s also important that children don’t watch their parents or adults take the medication because they will often imitate those actions. And then with household products, it’s important to keep them separate from food,” said LewisGale’s Medical Director of Emergency Medicine, Dr. Puneet Chopra.
Experts also advise against mixing household cleaners as some can create a gas that is poisonous.