Poison prevention

Save Poison Control (1-800-222-1222 in the US, or your country's equivalent) in your phone. Call them for any suspected exposure — they're staffed 24/7, free, and give better instructions than an internet search. Common household poisons: medicines (including grandparents' pill organizers), cleaning products, laundry pods, essential oils, hand sanitizer, alcohol, cosmetics, mouthwash, and plants. Lock cabinets and store originals in original containers so labels are with the product. Watch out for edible-looking risks: laundry pods look like candy, small button batteries can burn through the esophagus in hours, and gummy vitamins can be lethally overdosed. Keep purses and visitor bags up high — grandparents' medications are one of the most common accidental poisonings.