California Poison Control Launches Groundbreaking Social Media Campaign

Free Bilingual Poison Prevention Outreach Includes Texting, Twitter and Facebook

San Francisco - May 2010 – California Poison Control System (CPCS)
(http://www.calpoison.org) has launched an innovative social media collection of helpful information about poison for both English and Spanish speaking families, including free text messaging, Twitter updates and Facebook quizzes. Tips, news and information about poisoning are designed to saving lives and prevent injury. Poisoning is the second leading cause of childhood injury in the U.S. leading to more than two million poisonings each year.

Bilingual text messaging in English and Spanish will provide moms and dads with information about poison prevention. Texting the word TIPS or PUNTOS (for Spanish) to 69866 sends an important weekly tip to cell phones, such as “Chemicals can burn. Never use toilet bowl cleaners, drain openers, rust removers and oven cleaners when kids are around.”

“Many people now rely on information texted to their cell phones and through Twitter, Facebook and community Web sites,” said Dr. Stuart E. Heard, executive director of CPCS. “This social media campaign is critical because there is so much poison exposure at home.”

CPCS’s game at www.pillsvscandy.org challenges moms and dads, as well as grandparents, to decide what are look-alike pills versus candy. It’s easy to mistake one for the other, and the game makes learning fun instead of preachy. CPCS invites users to sign up as Facebook fans at
California Poison Control System and challenge themselves with quizzes about poison plants, batteries, chipped paint and what dangers lurk in kitchen cabinets.

Here are some poison prevention tips from the CPCS:

• 1-800-222-1222 for poison help should be added on or near all phones.

• Medicines and cleaning products should be kept in locked cabinets.

• Never keep cleaning products, gasoline, antifreeze, paint and paint thinners, or lighter fluid in food or beverage containers.

• Do not store food and household cleaners in the same cabinet.

• Never call medicine candy.

• Products should be kept in the containers they came in.

• Do not take medicine in front of children; they love to do what adults do.

• If you are taking medicine or using a cleaning product and are called away, take it with you.

• Makeup, perfume, cigarettes, alcohol and vitamins must be kept out of children’s reach.

About California Poison Control System

CPCS is dedicated to providing information and 24-hour help in case of poisoning by calling the CPCS at 1-800-222-1222 for advice. pharmacists, nurses, physician-toxicologists and poison information providers are available 24 - 7 to help.  In most cases, poison exposure can be safely managed at home with the help of a CPCS poison center expert.  This avoids a call to 911 or a costly visit to a crowded hospital emergency room.  Many parents think about contacting the poison control services only in case of an emergency, but experts are available to answer
questions any time.  Brochures, magnets, telephone stickers and materials in 10 languages can be requested by going to www.calpoison.org 

Disclosure: I did not receive any form of compensation for this post.