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My baby is always putting things in her mouth. How can I ensure she does not eat anything poisonous?

Last Updated: April 11, 2007

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You know your child likes to put things in his mouth to taste them. Maybe you don’t know that children will eat poisons such as moth balls or drain cleaner, even if they taste bad. Only as we get older do we learn that bad tasting things may be harmful. It’s your job to protect your child from poisons in your home. Here’s a list of some common household products that are poisonous.
KITCHEN Dishwasher soap, oven cleaner, floor and furniture polish, ammonia, lye
BATHROOM Prescription drugs, aspirin, and aspirin substitutes, vitamin and iron pills, tranquilizers, birth control pills, cold and cough medicines, cosmetics, mouth wash, perfume, drain cleaner, disinfectants, rubbing alcohol. LAUNDRY Bleach, detergent, fabric softener, stain remover.
STOREROOM / OTHER ROOMS Kerosene, lighter fluid, gasoline, paint, paint thinner, turpentine, weed killer, pesticides, rat poison, fertilizer, house plants, garden and yard plants, tobacco, any alcohol, mothballs, paint chips, or dust.
If your child eats something poisonous, call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-
222-1222 immediately and tell them what your child ate. They will tell you what to
do.

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