Summertime and warm weather invite stinging, biting, and buzzing insects to come back to life. Store shelves are stocked with bug repellents of all sorts: sprays, solids, lotions, and even products that smoke when burned. We’re all shopping for the best product to protect against both mosquitoes and ticks. No matter which form you use, bug sprays are pesticides that are usually safe, but can cause irritation or sickness if not used properly.
Poison Prevention Tip: Make sure to follow the label directions.
Did You Know?
- 94% of poisonings happen in the home.
- 81% of human exposures were unintentional.
- 51% of calls to poison centers involve children 5 and younger.
What to do (and don’t do) if you’re exposed to a poison
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Step One
✅ Do keep calm.
❌ Don’t panic and take action without seeking professional advice.
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Step Two
✅ Do call 1-800-222-1222.
❌ Don’t look up advice on the internet. Every second counts and you may get bad advice on the web.
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Step Three
✅ Do follow the advice of the poison center expert and carefully monitor the exposure.
❌ Don’t be embarrassed. With 4 million calls to poison centers each year, there’s nothing they haven’t heard.