Yellow lines are in a lot of places to prevent our kids from getting hurt. Telling them where to walk and when to slow down in school zones. Showing them where to stand on SkyTrain platforms. And making sure they’re out of harm’s way when riding on bike paths.
But in places where there are no yellow lines—like at home—protecting your children from a serious injury is up to you.
There are no yellow lines at home, just a lot of grey areas. The kitchen counter where you might leave your medication. Not properly storing household cleaning products. More than half of all poisonings in British Columbia involve young children, with those between the ages of one and three-years-old at the highest risk.1 Leaving medications within reach of small children, for even a few seconds, can have serious consequences.
Remember, it’s not just prescriptions: it’s hand sanitizers, cleaning products, and over-the-counter medication. By having a mindset of preventing injuries around the home, we can keep home poisonings preventable.
Here are some reminders to help establish yellow lines around your home to prevent poisonings:2
- Save the BC Drug and Poison Information Centre number (604-682-5050 or 1-800-567-8911) in your phone, or post it in a visible place in your house.
- Children often copy adults, so avoid taking medicine in front of a child. Never call medicine “candy.”
- Keep chemicals and medication locked up, out of sight, and out of reach of children.
- Keep cleaning solutions in their original, clearly labeled containers.
- Ensure that visitors to your home place their purses, bags, etc. out of reach of children.
- Install safety latches on all drawers or cabinets that contain harmful products, and use products that have child-resistant safety caps—remember that they’re child-resistant, not child-proof.
Sources:
1. BC Drug and Poison Information Centre. British Columbia Poison Control Centre Fact Sheet. Available from http://www.dpic.org/bc-dpic-fact-sheets/british-columbia-poison-control-centre-fact-sheet
2. Parachute. Poisoning. Available from https://www.parachutecanada.org/en/injury-topic/poisoning/