Avoid scary calls. Learn poison prevention tips for the summer

The warm weather has lured many of us outside to tidy our gardens and indoors to clean out closets and cabinets. Before you begin summer cleaning, experts at the North Texas Poison Center (NTPC) at Parkland want you to keep the following safety tips in mind. A clean home means a healthy environment for your family, but some garden and household cleaning products contain hazardous chemicals, so it’s important to keep these products up and away from curious kids. Doing so could help prevent a call to the Poison Center or, worse, a trip to the ER. “A colored bag with pretty flowers or a clear spray bottle can be hard for children to ignore,” said Lizbeth Petty, MPH, Public Health Education Manager at NTPC. “They may be curious or simply want to help their parents with gardening work, but these products can get on their skin, in their eyes, or they could swallow a harmful substance, resulting in serious injury.” Petty recommends familiarizing yourself with the major categories of household and garden products that can be harmful if not handled properly. Some potential poisons include pesticides, fertilizers, disinfectants, polishes and waxes, sanitizers, and detergents. The NTPC is available 24/7...