March is Poison Prevention Month, a perfect time to highlight the importance of protecting little ones from accidental poisonings, injuries that occur far too often from everyday items like cleaners, medications, and batteries.
- A poison exposure is reported to U.S. poison centers every 15 seconds
- Children under 6 account for approximately 39% of all poison exposures
- Ages 1-2 are at highest risk
- Cleaning items, pain medicine, and cosmetics or personal care products pose a risk
- In an emergency, call Poison Control hotline at 1-800-222-1222
MORE HEALTH is proud of its ongoing commitment to poison prevention education right here in Hillsborough County.
For many years, MORE HEALTH has delivered engaging poison prevention lessons to kindergarten students across Hillsborough County Public Schools, reaching thousands of children. Students learn how to identify dangerous items inside and outside the home, recognize dangerous look-alikes, understand the importance of asking an adult before touching or tasting anything unfamiliar, and how to get help in an emergency.
Generous funding from the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County has allowed MORE HEALTH to expand poison safety education to hundreds of preschool children in childcare centers serving our community’s youngest and most vulnerable learners. Through fun, interactive lessons, students build essential safety skills and learn the simple but powerful rule to always “ask first.” This partnership lets us educate the children and equip caregivers with tools to create safer homes and classrooms.
Poisoning remains one of the leading causes of injury among young children, but it is also highly preventable. Education makes all the difference.
