Welcome to National Poison Prevention Week, an event created by Congress and used to publicize household dangers for a good 64 years now.

It serves as a good reminder to post the number the Poison Help Line, 1-800-222-1222, in a visible spot. When seconds matter, you want it handy.

It’s also a chance to let folks know that pediatric poisoning deaths have been on the uptick nationwide since 2019. The death rate of children per million, from newborns to age 4, was 5.29 in 2022.

The rate had not been that high since 1977, when disco was nearing its peak.

Those poisonings come about because little ones explore the world — initially, at least — by finding out how things taste.

In 2025, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued warnings about button batteries, the teensy round discs that power gizmos from remote controls to hearing aids. They are incredibly dangerous, even deadly, when children swallow them, causing a current that produces sodium hydroxide, a harsh corrosive.

The Food and Drug Administration also issued urgent warnings about nicotine pouches, highlighting a surge in accidental and severe poisonings among children under age 5. The pouches typically contain high doses of nicotine.

And in June 2025, the FDA warned seven companies about illegally distributing products containing 7-OH [7-O-H], a souped-up version of a compound found in the kratom plant.

Some quick reminders: Keep medications locked up or well out of children’s reach. Never carry them in a handbag. And use this week to take stock of any potential dangers in your home, because that’s where 7 out of 10 accidental poisonings happen.