Do you know what your teen is watching online? If it includes viral videos and challenges, there are some risks involved. Find out more about current teen trends and how to keep them safe.
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An Expanding Problem: What Are Super Absorbent Polymers?
Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) balls and beads are used in many ways around the home. Once ingested and as they come in contact with stomach juices, the beads grow quickly over the first few hours. Serious symptoms can occur, continue reading to learn more!
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Some Things Just Don’t Mix: Poison Control Tips for Chemicals
It’s time for spring cleaning! Before you bring out all of your various cleaning products, be sure to learn about which chemicals should not be mixed. And speaking of things that don’t mix, there are many medications interactions to learn about, too.
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Is My Pet’s Medication Poisonous for Me?
It may be unexpected, but the poison center receives many calls every year about accidental ingestion of the pet’s medication. Pets can be on the same medicines that humans take, but there are also medications specifically developed for animals. The answer depends on the type of medication, so let’s go over …
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The Skinny On Dietary Supplements
It’s a new year, so it’s time for a new you, right? Many of us want to improve our health as a new year’s resolution. Nutrition stores stock their shelves with an array of supplements aimed at weight loss, enhancing muscle strength, increasing endurance, and improving overall health. It may …
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Safety Never Takes a Holiday
Poisonings never take a break, even during the holidays. Missouri Poison Center is always ready to help, every day of the year. One of the best pieces of advice we give is to program the poison help phone number into your mobile phone: 1-800-222-1222. Being prepared and calling right away is your best bet – you’ll be speaking with a poison specialist within seconds to get the help you need!
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It’s Hunting Season: Remember Safety First!
Hunting season is here in full force in Missouri. It takes a lot of work to get your equipment ready to take that perfect shot. But before you start, keep reading for special safety information about your hunting gear.
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Tick Bites on the Uptick
QUICK FACTS Tick bites are on the rise in Missouri. The best way to protect you and your family from tick-borne disease is knowledge and prevention. To remove a tick, use a thin-tipped tweezers – smothering or burning the tick is NOT recommended. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior …
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The “Pits” of Food Safety
You may have known certain fruit pits and seeds contain a form of cyanide, but could someone really have a toxicity from eating them? A recent news story about cherry pits has brought concern to the public. A man reportedly ate three cherry pits and was hospitalized for cyanide poisoning. He apparently cracked open the pit and ate the seed inside. While this is extremely rare and unlikely to occur from an exposure like this, cherry pits do contain a small amount of a toxic substance.
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Charcoal: It’s the New Black
Have you seen the new trend in food and cosmetics for 2017? For decades, charcoal was the “go-to” antidote in the emergency department for poisonings. Recently, it has fallen out of favor as research studies show it may not work as well as we thought. But, charcoal is making a comeback as a trendy product for use as a detoxifier. Many people are now buying activated charcoal powder or capsules at their local health food store or online.
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Mushroom Hunting Safety
Wild mushroom hunting is a popular hobby. Mushroom identification is tricky. Toxic and nontoxic mushrooms can grow side by side, and many mushrooms that can make you sick look just like edible mushrooms. Our best advice is to NEVER pick and eat wild mushrooms unless they’ve been identified by an expert.
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Essential Oils: Natural Does Not Always Equal Safe
Poison centers across the country have noted a significant increase in calls about essential oils. Because the oils are derived from natural sources, it leads users to think they are safe, but natural does not always equal safe.
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