Up until a few years ago, poison control numbers were regional and people had to call 411 to get the local poison control number if they needed help when they were out of town. Because this made the system inefficient, the poison control network now has a national number: 1-800-222-1222. This means that regardless of where you are in the country, if you call this number, you will automatically be connected to the closest poison control facility. Not only does this number belong on every phone in your house, but you should also program it into your cell phone. The reason for this extra precaution is that children sometime ingest poisons while they are outside of the home, and you may not be thinking clearly in this situation.
LATEST POSTS
- Staying in touch with family if your child is hospitalizedOne way to ease the pressure of communicating with loved ones is to choose a person from each side of the family to be your spokesperson.
- How to Wean Babies from BottlesMost pediatricians (me included) recommend weaning babies from formula at 12 months. I learned many years ago that this is also the ideal time to wean them from bottles.
- What is Hand, Foot, Mouth Syndrome?Hand, foot, mouth syndrome (HFM) is a common viral infection most often seen in young children. It’s most common during… Read more: What is Hand, Foot, Mouth Syndrome?
- How to Put Drops in a Child’s EyesInstilling drops in a child’s eyes can be difficult because they’re often afraid it will hurt when the drops go… Read more: How to Put Drops in a Child’s Eyes
- Be careful when buying over the counter medicationNon-prescription medicine is not regulated by the FDA and doesn’t have to work to be sold in the US. The… Read more: Be careful when buying over the counter medication
- What’s a strawberry hemangioma?Strawberry hemangiomas are a collection of tiny capillaries located on the skin. Most resolve without treatment by the time a child is 5 to 10 years.
- What are the incubation periods of some common childhood illnesses?There is a lag time between being exposed to an infection and coming down with the disease. This time frame is called the incubation period.
- What’s in a teaspoon?Nowadays, doctors and parents need to be more precise in the way they give medicine to kids.
- Are febrile seizures dangerous?Febrile seizures occur in 3 percent of children between 6 months and 5 years. The seizure is triggered by the rapid rise in temperature that accompanies an illness.
- It’s common for fathers to bond with their babies after mothersI have made a point of telling new fathers that it’s “normal” for moms to bond to babies before they do.










