S18 · Poisoning risk
Risk ⚠ URGENT Safety and protection
Definition
Access to harmful substances or medicine overdose raises the chance of poisoning.- Unlocked medicines
- chemicals
- confusion
- small children
- overdose
- Vomiting
- drowsiness
- strange behavior
- open containers nearby
📋 Scenario
A toddler lives in a home where adult tablets are kept in a handbag within reach.
Subjective (S): Parent: "She climbs everything."
Objective (O): Toddler aged 2; tablets in an unlocked handbag on a low table; cleaning products under the sink without a lock; no child-safe lids.
Assessment tools for this scenario: CP-SAFE Safety & Falls Score
Validated scales to consider: Morse Fall Scale
**CarePath diagnosis:** Poisoning risk related to unlocked medicines and chemicals and a small child (risk factors); no signs of the problem are present yet.
**Interventions and rationale**
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Teach parents to lock medicines and chemicals away, out of sight and reach. | Toddlers climb and explore, so locked storage out of sight and reach is the most reliable way to stop them touching harmful substances. |
| Use child-safe lids and keep medicines in original labelled containers. | Child-safe lids add a barrier, and original labelled containers prevent mix-ups and give poison services the information they need. |
| Give the poison-control number and put it near the phone. | A number near the phone means parents can get expert advice fast, when delay can make poisoning worse. |
| Teach what to do if swallowing is suspected: call poison control or emergency services at once and bring the container. | Poisoning can be an emergency. Calling for help at once and bringing the container allows quick, correct treatment. |
| Recheck the home plan at follow-up. | Rechecking the plan confirms that changes were made and kept, and gives a chance to correct gaps before harm occurs. |
**Expected outcomes**
- Within 1 week: medicines and chemicals locked away.
- Parents state storage rules and the poison-control number.
- No poisoning event.
**Linking the data to the diagnosis**
A two-year-old lives in a home where adult tablets sit in an unlocked handbag on a low table, cleaning products are under the sink without a lock, and there are no child-safe lids. The parent says, "She climbs everything." Nothing has been swallowed, so the problem is a risk, based on these hazards and her age, not an actual poisoning. Because poisoning can be life-threatening, teaching stresses calling poison control or emergency services first if swallowing is suspected. The plan aims for locked storage within 1 week and no poisoning event.
CarePath diagnosis
Poisoning risk related to unlocked medicines and chemicals and a small child (risk factors); no signs of the problem are present yet.
Interventions and rationale
Listed in priority order — for urgent statements the first action is to get help.
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| 1. Teach parents to lock medicines and chemicals away, out of sight and reach. | Toddlers climb and explore, so locked storage out of sight and reach is the most reliable way to stop them touching harmful substances. |
| 2. Use child-safe lids and keep medicines in original labelled containers. | Child-safe lids add a barrier, and original labelled containers prevent mix-ups and give poison services the information they need. |
| 3. Give the poison-control number and put it near the phone. | A number near the phone means parents can get expert advice fast, when delay can make poisoning worse. |
| 4. Teach what to do if swallowing is suspected: call poison control or emergency services at once and bring the container. | Poisoning can be an emergency. Calling for help at once and bringing the container allows quick, correct treatment. |
| 5. Recheck the home plan at follow-up. | Rechecking the plan confirms that changes were made and kept, and gives a chance to correct gaps before harm occurs. |
Expected outcomes
- Within 1 week: medicines and chemicals locked away.
- Parents state storage rules and the poison-control number.
- No poisoning event.
Linking the data to the diagnosis
A two-year-old lives in a home where adult tablets sit in an unlocked handbag on a low table, cleaning products are under the sink without a lock, and there are no child-safe lids. The parent says, "She climbs everything." Nothing has been swallowed, so the problem is a risk, based on these hazards and her age, not an actual poisoning. Because poisoning can be life-threatening, teaching stresses calling poison control or emergency services first if swallowing is suspected. The plan aims for locked storage within 1 week and no poisoning event.