Special to the Enquirer  

The home should be a place of safety and protection for the family, but lots of products around the house can be poisonous if discovered by a child.  

Becky DeVore, an educator with the Alabama Poison Information Center, frequently shares about “lookalikes,” cleaners or medicines that can be mistaken as edible by a child. 

DeVore said these lookalikes can be found in any color of the rainbow. Cleaning products, dental rinse, body spray and cold medicine can all look like juice or a sports drink to a child. Common medicine or vitamins can be mistaken as candy.  

DeVore said it’s crucial for anyone who has children in the home to store these products and medication up and away from a child’s reach or even in a locked container. DeVore said it’s not good enough to just put medicine in a pill box; it should be stored up and away or in a lockbox to prevent a child from ingesting it.  

DeVore also recommended adults never take medicine in front of a child, since children like to mimic what adults do. 

Another danger is in the laundry room, where children have mistaken laundry pods as candy because of the bright colors. Laundry detergent and bleach should be stored out of a child’s reach. 

DeVore said she also advises to only store cleaning products in their original containers. Never put cleaning products in old soda or water bottles or any container that was used to store food. 

If one’s child frequently stays at a relative’s house, assess the situation and ask that anything poisonous be kept out of reach. 

Even with these precautions in place, accidents can happen. The Alabama Poison Information Center offers a free, confidential hotline available 24/7. This line is staffed by registered nurses and pharmacists to answer any poison-related questions. Save the number 1-800-222-1222 to be able to act quickly in an emergency. 

For more on the Alabama Poison Information Center, visit http://www.childrensal.org/apic