Myths vs. Truth

Have you ever wondered if hand sanitizer or poinsettias are poisonous? Well, the Maryland Poison Center (www.mdpoison.com) provides answers to these questions and clarifies a few more interesting facts.

Myth: Children will not eat something that tastes bad.
Truth: Children may not have a fully developed sense of taste. What tastes bad to an adult may not taste bad to a child. In general, children are curious enough to taste anything.

Myth: Children cannot open child-proof containers.
Truth: Children may not have a fully developed sense of taste. What tastes bad to an adult may not taste bad to a child. In general, children are curious enough to taste anything.

Myth: Children can become drunk from licking hand sanitizer from their hands.
Truth: Licking a single squirt or a pea-sized amount of hand sanitizer from their hands is not dangerous. However, consuming larger quantities from the bottle can be dangerous. Always use the product as directed.

Myth: Poinsettias are poisonous.
Truth: Poinsettias may cause an upset stomach, but only if a large number of leaves are eaten. Pets may be a little more sensitive than children, but the plant is not deadly to either.

Myth: Sunscreen in the eyes will cause blindness.
Truth: Sunscreen in the eyes is very irritating, but it will not cause blindness. Even though these products are usually waterproof, flushing the eyes with water for 15 minutes will remove it and minimize damage to the eyes.

When in doubt, call the Poison Control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 or check out the National Capital Poison Control’s webPOISONCONTROL online tool (www.poison.org).