Nursery World - Chemical reaction (1)

Whether at nursery or at home, great care must be taken that young children cannot get at poisonous substances, as doctors at the <STRONG> Great Ormond Street Hospital </STRONG> stress

Chemical reaction Whether at nursery or at home, great care must be taken that young children cannot get at poisonous substances, as doctors at the Great Ormond Street Hospital stress

How common is accidental poisoning?

Accidental poisoning from medication and cleaning chemicals is one of the most common forms of poisoning in toddlers and young children. Over the years painkillers, such as aspirin, have been known to seriously harm or kill many children. Even vitamins or iron tablets in large quantities can cause extreme injury. According to Government figures most cases involve children under the age of five, with commonly prescribed medicines accounting for nearly half of the incidents reported each year. However, in children aged between two and four, chemicals like liquid polish, bleach and lavatory disinfectants are more often the cause of poisoning.

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