This is National Poisoning Prevention Week and Sioux City is home to the Iowa Poison Control Center.
Tammy Noble, a registered nurse and the center’s education coordinator, says everyone should have their toll-free phone number programmed into their smart phone.
OC………..”your contacts” :16
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, poisoning is the top cause of injury death in the United States.
The hotline number is 800-222-1222.
OC……”look it up” :17
The poison center is staffed ’round-the-clock and gets up to 50-thousand calls a year.
Many of the calls that come in about children involve their exposure to cosmetics or personal care items, things that you may use every day that usually aren’t locked up.
OC……. “doctor’s office” :20
Almost as many calls come in about household cleansers, ranging from bleach to laundry pods, and those items can be much more toxic.
About six in ten calls involve pharmaceuticals which Noble says is a reminder to keep medicines out of the reach of kids, while adults need to read the labels and make sure what they’re taking.
