Head Start Staff:
What You Need to Know
About Pesticide Poisoning
They buzz, they burrow, they crawl, they sting,
they bite, they munch, and they torment. From
insects to rodents, they can make our lives difficult. Pests,
such as ants, cockroaches, mice, rats, and termites, can be
particularly troublesome to families if left unchecked. However,
many families are unaware of the serious health risks
associated with the improper storage or use of household
pesticides, the products we use to control or kill pest
populations in and around a home.
We encourage Head Start staff to teach families about the
possible health effects pesticides can have on young children
as well as the simple pesticide poisoning prevention efforts
that they can incorporate into their regular household activities.
In this way, families are armed with important safety knowl-
edge that lets them make smart choices that effectively protect
their children.
One of the simplest and most effective methods of preventing
pesticide poisoning is storing household pesticides out of
reach of small children in high, locked cabinets.
Pesticides. What are they?
Pesticides are products used in and around the home to
control insects (insecticides), termites (termiticides), rodents
(rodenticides), fungi (fungicides), weeds (herbicides), and
microbes (disinfectants). They can be sold in the form of
sprays, powders, crystals, or balls. Since most pesticides are
specifically created to be poisonous to pest populations, there
are many potential risks associated with their improper use.
How do children come in
contact with pesticides?
Children can come into contact with pesticides stored or
applied in their homes, yards, day-care facilities, schools,
parks, or on pets.
Children often touch things (that may be contaminated with
a pesticide) and put their hands in their mouths. They also
crawl and play on floors, grass, or in spaces that might be
contaminated with pesticides. These activities may put them at
higher risks for poisoning. Exposure to pesticides may cause
serious damage to a child's health.
What are the symptoms of
pesticide poisoning?
Pesticide poisoning symptoms may appear similar to the flu.
If a child is experiencing any of the following symptoms listed
below, contact your Poison Control Center immediately.
IMPORTANT FACTS You SHOULD KNOW
The American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) data show that more than 50 percent
of the two million poisoning incidents each year involve children younger than six years old.
Each year, poison centers receive thousands of calls from the public with concerns about potential
exposure to common household pesticides.
Over 90 percent of calls to the poison control centers concern poisonings that occur in the home.
Among households with children under the age of five, close to half stored at least one pesticide
product within reach of a child.
Nearly 75 percent of households with no children under the age of five stored pesticides in an
unlocked cabinet within a child's reacha significant figure since 13 percent of all pesticide
poisonings occur in homes other than that of the child.
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For more information on pesticides or pesticide poisoning prevention, refer to EPA's Pesticides Program
Web site at vyAvw.epa.gov/pesticides, or call the National Pesticide Information Center at 1-800-858-7378.
Immediate short-term effects include:
Headaches,
Dizziness,
Muscle twitching,
Weakness,
Tingling sensations, and
Nausea.
How can pesticide poisoning
affect a child's health?
Pesticide poisoning is especially harmful to children since their
brain and nervous systems are at the early, critical stages of
development. The effects are not always immediate, and
may show up years later as unknown illnesses. Because their
bodies are still growing, children have less natural defenses
and can develop serious health effects if overexposed to
pesticides.
Long-term exposure to pesticides may
cuase serious health effects such as:
Birth defects;
Learning disabilities;
Behavioral changes;
Organ damage;
Forms of cancer, including leukemia, breast cancer,
and brain tumors; or
Asthma symptoms.
Where are pesticides commonly
found?
Bathrooms and kitchens are the most likely areas of the home
to contain improperly stored pesticides.
Common household pesticides in these
areas are:
Roach sprays and baits;
Bath and kitchen disinfectants and sanitizers, including
bleach;
Rat and other rodent poisons;
Insect repellents;
Products used to kill mold or mildew; and
Flea and tick shampoos, powders, and dips for pets.
Other household pesticides include:
Swimming pool chemicals and
Weed killers.
How can pesticide poisoning
be prevented?
Curiosity is a normal stage of a child's developmental process.
These explorers are at greater risk for accidental poisoning.
By practicing the following pesticide poisoning
prevention guidelines, innocent mistakes don't
have to turn into tragedies:
Always store pesticides away from children's reach,
in a locked cabinet.
Install safety latches on cabinets.
Read the label first. Follow the directions exactly as
they are written on the label.
Remove children, pets, and their toys before applying
pesticides (inside or outside).
Re-close a pesticide product if ever interrupted during
application (e.g., phone call, doorbell, etc.).
Store pesticides in their original containers since a child
can mistake another container for food or drink.
Use child-resistant packaging correctly by tightly sealing
the container after every use.
Teach children that "pesticides are poisons" and not
to be touched.
Program or post the Poison Control Centers' national hotline
number, 1-800-222-1222, in or near your phone.
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA 735-F-07-011
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