Survival Health
See
through your
toddler’s EYES
Imagine you’re a toddler – 18 months or 2 years say – and you come across a box of detergent liquitabs, for the washing machine or the dishwasher.
O
f course, you shouldn’t be coming across them at all. They should be locked safely away, especially as the packaging isn’t necessarily the most child resistant you will find. But let’s think about all the
things that go on in the hurly-burly of family life. The doorbell rings as you’re loading the dishwasher. The mobile goes off as you get the washing sorted on the floor. An older sibling helpfully gets the carefully secured under-sink cupboard open. None of these are unusual events. What does an inquisitive toddler make of liquitabs?
They’re brighter than a box of treasure. Squidgier than plasticine, more colourful than a video and they smell as good as any baby food. What does a toddler do after they’ve looked, smelt and squashed? They bite. At that point, the apparent fun of liquitabs is dra- matically replaced by their life-threatening potential. Dangers that were starkly set out by warnings from Accident and Emergency doctors in the UK earlier this
year when they drew attention to the rise in cases of baby and toddler poisonings due to liquitabs. The National Poisons Helpline also reports a sharp increase in cases of incidents involving liquitabs and small children. The benefits of powerful cleaners like liquitabs are immense – they’re powerful and convenient. But that shouldn’t be at the cost of child safety. By including Bitrex, manufacturers can dramati- cally reduce the risk to children. Bitrex is the most bitter substance in the world and its inclusion makes products almost impossible for a child to swallow. Manufacturers and retailers who deal with poten- tially hazardous products from household cleaners to slug pellets, screen-wash and anti-freeze, have all added Bitrex. The distinctive bright red logo is a reas- surance to parents. But so far, few liquitab suppliers have included Bitrex.
Bitrex on its own isn’t a magic solution to child poisoning. Hazardous products should still be care- fully locked away and child resistant closures are
essential. But for the moments of inattention and distraction that happen all too frequently in the home, Bitrex can save the day. To find out more and join the battle for Bitrex, please visit
www.helpingprotectchildren.com
BITREX
Bitrex is officially the world’s most bitter substance. Just a tiny amount added to potentially harmful household products makes them extremely unpalatable – and a lot safer. If your child was to accidentally put a product containing Bitrex in their mouth, chances are they would instantly spit it back out.
WWW.MUMSSURVIVALGUIDES.CO.UK 49
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