TUCSON, Ariz. - Fragrances. Moisturizers. Deodorants. They may not seem dangerous, but these and other beauty products have been shown to send one child under five to the ER every two hours, according to a study conducted over a 15 year-period. Nail polish remover was the biggest cause of ER visits.
“Most of these injuries were due to kids swallowing personal care products, which led to poisoning," says Lauren Friedman, Consumer Reports. "The second most common scenario were these products coming in contact with kids’ skin or eyes leading to a chemical burn.”
So, how to keep kids away from these products? For starters, personal care products should be stored securely out of reach and out of site. Keep products in their original container, so if your kid does get into something, you’ll know the exact ingredients to tell the poison control center or your pediatrician. And know where to call if your child does get injured. All poison control centers can be reached by calling the same telephone number.
Consumer Reports also says that if your child has collapsed or is unconscious after ingesting a possible poison, call 911 immediately.
