Safety Spotlight: Preventing Poisonings Before They Happen

Safety Spotlight: Preventing Poisonings Before They Happen

Did you know that household poisoning is one of the top reasons children in Atlantic Canada end up in the emergency department?

From March 16–22, 2025, Child Safety Link and Atlantic Canada Poison Centre will be highlighting national Poison Prevention Week, to raise awareness about all the things we can do in our homes to keep kids safe from unintentional poisonings. In this article, we’ll talk about the everyday household products that can be a poisoning risk to children, common storage errors, and share simple tips to keep your home safe from poisonings.

Every home has poisons & many are hiding in plain sight

First, it’s important to define the term “poison.” When we think of poison, we might think of well-known poisons like cyanide, arsenic or rat poison. But in reality, a poison is defined as “anything that makes you sick if you eat, breathe or touch it.” And every single household contains common items that can be poisonous if used in the wrong way. Some of these everyday items include:

Medications— Medicines (both prescription and over the counter) are the top cause of unintentional poisoning in Canada. This includes natural health products (e.g. melatonin) that can be harmful if used incorrectly.
Vitamins and supplements— Products marketed to support health can be harmful if taken in the wrong dose. Gummy vitamins that look like candy are particularly attractive to kids.
Household cleaners— The look and smell of items like detergent pods and fragrant cleaners can be appealing to kids.
Personal care products— Cosmetics, perfume and hand sanitizer can be dangerous if swallowed.
Cannabis edibles—Edible cannabis products are dangerous as they look much like regular food/candy that even adults can’t tell the difference!

Keeping all these items locked up, out of sight and reach of children can help reduce the risk of an unintentional poisoning.

So how can we “childproof” our homes against unintentional poisonings?

We need to understand that nothing is truly “childproof” or “child resistant.” Studies have shown that given enough time and opportunity, even toddlers have managed to open “child-resistant” bottles and packaging. Also, placing items in out-of-reach is not enough. Children love to explore, and toddlers can learn new skills (like climbing) seemingly overnight and get into new spots (e.g. high cupboards) before we realize what is happening.

You can take these steps to reduce the risk:

If your child is taking medicine, write down when you give it to them. This will help avoid double dosing by mistake.
Keep poisons locked and high up: store medications, cleaning supplies, and other potentially harmful items up high, locked away, and out of sight of children.
Use lock boxes or lock bags for prescription and over the counter medicine, natural health products, nicotine and cannabis.
Always keep potentially poisonous products in their original packaging and never store them in the same place you would store food (i.e. kitchen cupboards, refrigerator).
Don’t follow popular social media trends that encourage storing potentially poisonous products (e.g. laundry detergent pods) in clear containers. This can make them look attractive and are easier for kids to access.
Be aware of the poison look-alikes in your household. These are potentially poisonous products that look similar to edible food products. Examples would be cannabis gummies and real gummy candy, marshmallows and laundry pods, blue sports drinks and blue window cleaner. Make sure these poisonous look-alikes are securely stored in a high, locked place.
Be aware of the dangers contained in purses and bags, and even coat pockets. It’s easy to overlook, but sometimes we carry items on us that can be very harmful if a child gets into them. These include items like nicotine products, pill organizers, and even hand sanitizer. Always make sure to store your bags up high and out of the reach of little ones.

Other activities that may help:

Make a habit of putting medicines and other potentially dangerous items away right after using them, even if you think you’ll need them again soon.
Avoid calling medicine or vitamins “candy,” since little ones might go looking for more.
Keep the contact for your local poison center in your phone contacts or in a highly visible place where you can easily find it if you need it (see below).

These small changes can make a big difference in keeping your home a safe and happy place for your family!

Call to Action:

Possible Poisoning? Help is a Call Away

If you know or even suspect that your child has gotten into a poisonous substance, don’t waste time looking on the internet!

Contact your local poison centre immediately.

In NS, PEI, and NL, dial 1-844-POISON-X (1-844-764-7669). In NB, call 911.
The service is free, confidential, and available 24/7. Keep the number where everyone at home can see it.
If your child loses consciousness or is having trouble breathing, call 911.

For more tools and information, visit: https://childsafetylink.ca and https://atlanticcanadapoisoncentre.ca