Cook County Health Recognizes National Safety Month
June is National Safety Month and Cook County Health advises residents to make sure there aren't any home safety hazards you might be overlooking - emphasis on keeping your children and any seniors who might be in your home, safe.
Injuries are a leading cause of disability for people of all ages - and they are the leading cause of death for the U.S. population, ages 1 to 44. But many injuries can be prevented when people practice safe behaviors.
Children are curious by nature, and it makes sense that they would be even more curious when it comes to medication. Medications are the leading cause of child poisoning. Every year, more than 64,000 children go to an emergency room for medicine poisoning. That's one child every eight minutes!
Consider places where children access medicines, such as purses and nightstands. Make sure that all medicines and vitamins are stored out of reach and out of sight of children. In 3 out of 4 emergency room visits for medicine poisoning, the child got into medicine belonging to a parent or grandparent.
Close your medicine caps tightly after every use. Choose child-resistant caps for medicine bottles; but remember, child-resistant does not mean child-proof. Even products that you might not think about as medicines can be dangerous; such as diaper rash remedies, vitamins or eye drops.
Keep your home safe and your family healthy not just this month, but every month.