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Vision/Mission Prevention Week Annual Report |
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National Poison Prevention Week
The West Virginia Poison Center (WVPC) wants to remind you that National Poison Prevention Week is upcoming soon. You may be wondering what all of the fuss is about. You may even ask yourself , “Are unintentional poisonings really a problem?” YES! According to the National Safety Council, poisoning by solids and
liquids was the third leading cause of unintentional injury and death in
the United States in 1997. Though the number of poisoning-related
deaths has dramatically decreased over the years, nonfatal poisonings are
still a problem. Most reported accidental poisonings occur in children and involve medicines and ordinary household products. This is because young children will attempt to eat or drink almost anything they can get their hands on! This includes: 1) medicines such as aspirin, cough and cold preparations; 2) household cleaning products like furniture polishes, detergents, and drain cleaners; 3) substances stored in the garage, such as automotive products and pesticides; 3) plants such as castor beans, foxglove, and oleander; 4) mushrooms; and 5) paint, dust, or lead containing products.
Most poisoning exposures take place in the home (91%) and the majority of these patients can be treated at home with the assistance of the WVPC. Because the majority of poisons take place at home, extra precautions need to be taken. Please check Your Home section of our website for information on how to make your home safer. Poison Prevention Week packets are available free of charge to teachers wishing to have their students participate in this event. We encourage everyone to help in spreading the word about poison safety and Poison Center function to their community. If you would like to schedule a presentation at your school or organization, order a Poison Prevention Week packet, or schedule a participant in a health fair, please contact the Community Outreach Coordinator, Hallie Chillag Dunlap or call (304)347-1379. |
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The West Virginia Poison Center handled over 41,004 calls in 2002.
Twenty-four hours-a-day seven days-a-week, 365 days-a-year, our Poison
Specialists answer calls to our emergency/information hotline. The calls
come from families like yours the parent of the toddler who swallowed medications
or cleaners; the older adult who confused their prescriptions; the homeowner
who splashed pesticide in his eyes; or the EMS worker at the scene of a
chemical spill.
However, adults are just as much at risk from unintentional poison exposures
as are children. In fact, adult exposures are often much more serious and
can be more complicated. Adult exposures tend to occur from improper
use of products, ranging from medication to household cleaners. Senior
adults consume 1/4 of all prescription medicines and more than 1/3 of all
over the counter drug products. In fact, it has been estimated that
senior citizens may be taking more than 8 different drugs per day, not
including over-the-counter drugs. This scenario lays the groundwork for
possible accidental overdoses and adverse drug interactions. As the
number of different drugs taken increases, the risk of drug-induced poisonings
directly increases.