Prevent Dangerous Mishaps During the Back to School Rush

Many households in New Jersey have a similar experience during the morning rush — at any minute, things can go wrong. The kids can’t find their shoes, the teen is still in bed, and one parent gives the child a dose of medicine followed by another person accidentally doing the same. What should a parent/caregiver do when a double dose of medicine is given? Call the NJ Poison Control Center to determine if any further action is needed.

“September is not only a busy time for families and school employees, it’s also a busy time for us at the poison center,” says Diane Calello, executive and medical director of the New Jersey Poison Control Center at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. “Potentially dangerous products are commonly found where we live, work, and play. Situations can become dangerous quickly and without warning.”

Most think of the classroom as a place with no/few potentially dangerous substances, however many of the substances we’re taught to look out for at home can also be found in schools and classrooms. Products and substances can be dangerous if used in the wrong way, in the wrong amount, or by the wrong person — including medicines, cleaners, disinfectants, school and craft supplies, hand sanitizers, vitamins and supplements, food/lunches, coin/disc batteries, alcohol, and marijuana edibles.

“When you combine distraction with easy access and unsafe storage of potentially harmful products, mishaps are likely to happen,” says Calello. “Every day, people of all ages are exposed to potentially dangerous items ranging from medicines and chemicals to adult recreational products and substances of abuse.”

The NJ Poison Control Center’s daily caseload involves both accidental and intentional exposure to products and substances found in all environments – including home, work, school, outdoors, friends, and family. Calling the poison control center first for medical help can make a difference between a mild health effect and a more serious one, which may result in a trip to the hospital.

“The poison center is not only a trusted medical resource for parents and caregivers, but also school administrators, teachers, and nurses,” says Calello. “With the poison center’s help, most people don’t have to go to the emergency room or seek other medical services.”

Follow these safety tips to prevent children from coming in contact with potential poisons at home and school.

• Keep track of medicines in the home to prevent accidental exposure, misuse, or abuse. Medicines should be locked up after every use to ensure they are not accidentally or intentionally ingested or stolen.
• Before preparing lunch, remember to wash hands and surfaces, and pack food in appropriate containers. Hot food should be kept hot by using thermoses and other insulated containers. Cold food should be kept cold by using ice packs or cooling bags.
• Hand sanitizers can be dangerous if accidentally or intentionally ingested. Young children should have limited, monitored access to hand sanitizer and it should not be kept in their backpacks, lunch bags, or luggage.
• All supplies, whether provided by the school or brought in by students and parents, should be labeled non-toxic and kept in their original containers.
• Frequent handwashing, especially before eating as well as before and after close interaction with others, is the best way to remove germs. While hand sanitizers help stop the spread of germs, washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is most effective.
• Watch children outdoors. Many potential poisons hide in plain sight, including poison ivy, toxic wild mushrooms, pest control products, and maintenance chemicals.

If you think someone has come in contact with something dangerous, contact the New Jersey Poison Control Center immediately for medical treatment advice. Anyone can call for medical help – children, teens, and adults. Poison control centers are a medical resource for both the public and healthcare providers. Get help 24/7 — Call or Chat Here. If someone is not breathing, hard to wake up, or having a seizure, call 9-1-1.

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Media contacts only: Alicia Gambino (gambinaa@njms.rutgers.edu), New Jersey Poison Control Center at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School