Warning To North East Parents Over Accidental Poisoning

Almost 200 North East children under five have been taken to A&E in the last year for accidental poisoning.

That’s the message from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) as they team up with the RVI in Newcastle.

Families across the city are being targeted in a scheme to prevent child poisonings and eye injuries from household cleaning products.

RoSPA is focusing on Newcastle and the surrounding areas as data shows 180 children aged five and under attended A&E in the 2014-15 year as a result of accidental poisoning, which includes cases involving household cleaning products.

Ashley Martin from RoSPA told Metro Radio “Due to their inquisitive nature, children under the age of five are most at risk of accidentally swallowing or getting household cleaning products, like liquid laundry capsules, into their eyes.Even products with a child-resistant closure cannot guarantee safety - they only reduce the risk by delaying access to the product. The notepad acts as a constant reminder in family kitchens to store cleaning products out of reach, out of sight and in a locked cupboard.”

Lindsay Ord, accident prevention specialist health visitor at Newcastle Hospitals Foundation Trust, said: ”I liaise with the A&E at Royal Victoria Infirmary and am only too aware of the anxiety and distress caused by accidental poisonings as children regularly attend A&E having ingested household cleaners.”

Advice to parents includes:

· Store household cleaning products out of reach of children, preferably in a locked cupboard

· Always store chemicals in their original containers

· Never pierce or break laundry capsules or tablets

· Always close the lid of any product

· In the event of an incident, follow advice on the product pack and seek medical attention.