Kids Act Fast. So Does the Poison Help Line.

PoisonHelp2All parents want to keep their children safe. But the fact of the matter is kids are fast, curious, and impulsive. It only takes a few seconds for your child to find common household dangers, ranging from medicines to cleaning supplies. Situations like these are part of the reason that about half of all poison exposures reported to America’s poison centers involve children younger than six.*

National PTA wants to share a resource that can help you keep up when your kids act fast: the Poison Help line.

The Poison Help line, 1-800-222-1222, is a toll-free number that quickly connects you to the medical professionals at your poison center. Doctors, nurses and pharmacists answer calls 24/7 and can provide parents like you with lifesaving information. In fact, the Poison Help line receives about 500,000 calls from parents and caregivers ever year. That’s one call every minute of every day.** Health care providers call the Poison Help line too.

Calls to poison centers not only save lives, but also time and money. Seventy percent of poison exposures can be managed over the phone,*** which helps avoid unnecessary trips to the emergency room and saves money on health care costs.

We know that you may not be able to slow your children down, but there’s a way to stay a step ahead. Program the Poison Help line into your phone and post it near your home phone so it’s there when you need it most. For more information, watch this video or visit www.PoisonHelp.hrsa.gov.


* Bronstein AC, Spyker DA Cantilena LR, Green JL, Rumack BH, Giffin SL. 2011 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers’ National Poison Data System (NPDS): 29th Annual Report. 2012. Clinical Toxicology (2012) 47, 91–1164.

** Safe Kids Worldwide, An In-Depth Look at Keeping Young Children Safe Around Medicine

*** Bronstein AC, Spyker DA Cantilena LR, Green JL, Rumack BH, Giffin SL. 2011 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers’ National Poison Data System (NPDS): 29th Annual Report. 2012. Clinical Toxicology (2012) 47, 911–1164.

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