In 2022, there were 41,978 inquiries to the National Center for Information on Poisoning, an increase of 7.7% from the previous report published two years ago, 52% of all inquiries were about children under the age of 18 - according to a report from the Ministry of Health today (Monday).
According to the data, 42.6% of the inquiries due to poisoning or fear of poisoning were regarding children aged 0-6.
In most age groups, most of the poisoning cases, 55.8%, were boys.
The data also shows that 90.2% of all cases occurred inside the home, while only 3.7% occurred outside the home and 1.5% happened in educational institutions.
81.3% of the exposures that led to contacting the national center for information on poisonings were through ingestion, 5.7% through eye exposure and 3.1% due to inhalation of substances.
48% of the cases that led to poisoning and fear of poisoning in 2022 were from medicines, 47% following exposure to household cleaning agents, disinfectants and pesticides, and 6% due to exposure to poisonous plants and animals.
You have to be especially careful at home.
Cleaning materials (Photo: ShutterStock)
Dr. Sharon Elrai Price, head of the public health division at the Ministry of Health, said after the publication of the report that "the data in the report are particularly disturbing in light of the fact that most of them could have been prevented, when even in these cases, prevention is the best treatment.
Children's developing body systems and their smaller body dimensions make them even more vulnerable to poisoning, so when children are exposed to a toxic substance, the health effects can be particularly severe." "Children are
curious and like to put things in their mouths," Elrai Price warned. of the referrals are due to drug poisoning.
Therefore, it is important to keep medicines out of the children's reach and store them in a tall or locked cabinet."
This is how you will protect your children from poisons inside the house
Cleaning materials must be stored in a closed cabinet and after use, close them and return them to their place.
Do not transfer cleaning agents to other containers (glasses or drinking bottles).
Make sure that disinfectants (such as alcohol gel) are out of the reach of children.
Medicines should be stored in a closed box, out of the reach and sight of children.
Administering medications under the supervision of the parents and at the end, returning them to the place.
Children should not be allowed to play with medicines since many children know how to open safety locks.
Medicines that are given as mouth drops (including iron preparations and vitamins) must first be dripped into a spoon and then given to the child.
Do not drip directly from the bottle into the mouth.
Medicines or vitamins should not be presented as sweets in order to convince the children to take them.
Bags containing medicines should be kept out of the reach of children.
Plants, flowers and fungi can be poisonous.
Do not let babies and toddlers play with them.
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