Poisoning is now the leading cause of unintentional death in the country according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The potentially deadly toxins are nearly everywhere but experts say there are things you can do to keep you and kids safe.
There’s a poison center in Omaha taking calls from many Nebraskans if you accidently get poisoned.
“You hear about kids getting into medications-it’s tragic but parents really got to watch their kids,” said father of two young boys Erich Wehry.
Wehry said he watches his kids all the time.
“If we can't lock away things we stick set them in the way-high cabinets,” said Wehry.
That smart thinking according to Nebraska Regional Poison Center nurse Joan McVoy. McVoy said 90-percent of poisoning happen in the home often from sources you wouldn’t expect.
“Some medications now they make them for older adults who got arthritis so they can easily take the top off of the tube, the kids can get in them pretty easily,” said McVoy.
The laundry detergent pods are another thing McVoy said are attractive to kids because they look like candy and are very soft.
“These are super-charged detergents when children get into them they almost immediately have symptoms,” said McVoy.
Wehry said he has a plan when it’s time to get the cleaning supplies out, “If I know the wife is cleaning, I'm watching the kids, or if I'm cleaning she's watching the kids”.
For Martha Sanchez, her quick thinking prevented her little brother from accidently getting ahold of chlorine.
“I don't know how he managed to open the chlorine bottle but he was about to drink it but I guess I managed to take it away--that was a bit scary,” said Sanchez.
Poison Centers are open 24-7, that number is 1-800-222-1222.
The center gets 2-3 million calls a year-40-thousand just in Nebraska.
