Illinois Poison Prevention Month

March is Illinois Poison Prevention Month. This month raises awareness about poisoning hazards and risks, especially for children. Be proactive by adding IPC to the contacts in your phone. Our free, confidential helpline is 1-800-222-1222 and available around the clock.

Why is Poison Prevention Month so important?

• IPC is a valuable resource for all Illinois residents concerned about a potential poisoning. Every year, IPC handles 80,000 cases through our helpline. Nearly one-third of those cases originates from a healthcare facility—we are the toxicology consultants to Illinois healthcare professionals.
• Each year, poison centers across the U.S. manage more than 2 million cases about poisoning exposure. Of those cases, almost half involve children 5 years old and younger.
• IPC handles a variety of cases, ranging from minor to severe. Poisonings can occur after exposure to medication, vitamins/supplements, plants, household chemicals, automotive products, insect stings, animal bites, lead, carbon monoxide, etc.

Help support IPC’s work to reduce poisoning harm

• IPC’s Poison Prevention Education Course—a free, online course with seven short lessons and quizzes, available in English and Spanish
• National Poison Prevention Week (the third week of March)
• “Day in the Life of a Poison Center” blog post
• Videos for children and students
• “My Child Ate...”—a resource library to help caregivers and others understand the toxicity of common substances and symptoms a child may experience after accidental ingestion or exposure