Non-toxic substances: Can they harm my children?
The bottom line
Many household items are non-toxic (not poisonous) to children, even though they sound scary. Birth control pills, silica gel packets that say "do not eat", and potting soil are among them. BUT young children can choke on non-toxic products.
Prevention Tips
Not everything a child grabs is poisonous. But small toy parts and objects can choke a child. Keep older children's toys out of reach.
This Really Happened
Case 1: A mom called a poison center, frantic because her little boy had swallowed some birth control pills. The poison specialist assured the mom that this would not be dangerous to her son, now or when he grew up.
Case 2: Another mom called a poison center, frantic because her little girl had swallowed a blue crayon and now her lips were blue. The crayon was not poisonous - but it turned out that the child had inhaled the crayon. Her airway was partly blocked; her blue lips were from lack of oxygen, not the blue crayon. She was taken to the emergency room by ambulance, was treated, and recovered.
The full story
While many poison exposures involve dangerous poisons, others may seem deadly or scary, but actually are not very bad at all. We call these items non-toxic. What does this mean?
A non-toxic substance is one that is not expected to cause symptoms or be dangerous. A good example is silica gel. Most of us have seen this packet in new shoe boxes, cameras, purses, coffee cans, and medicines. Silica gel absorbs moisture, keeping the item you purchased in good condition as it is being shipped to the store. Most of these packets say "Do Not Eat" on the outside, which is a bit scary-sounding to be sure. While silica gel is not made to be eaten, it's not poisonous either.
Most arts and crafts products made for use by children are safe, and you can tell for sure if you see the seal AP on the package. AP stands for Approved Product; this seal comes from the Art and Creative Materials Institute.
Children and pets are always finding lots of other types of objects to play with or eat. Some popular items that are non-toxic include:
the hormones in birth control pills;
antacids;
dog and cat food;
potting soil and vermiculite;
styrofoam.
It's best to keep these items out of your little one's reach. They could be a choking hazard even if they're not poisonous. (Toys belonging to older children can also choke a toddler. It's a challenge to keep the older kids' things out of the way of your curious toddler, but it's important.)
How can you tell if something is or is not poisonous? Sometimes, you can't. That's why it's always best to use the webPOISONCONTROL® online tool to get help, or call your poison center at 1-800-222-1222. Whether online or by phone, expert guidance is always free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day.
