The American Association of Poison Control Centers provides a toll-free hotline that connects Americans to poison treatment and prevention experts 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

1-800-222-1222 National Poison Control Center

Post this number near your home phone. Be sure to give it to your babysitters and day care center as well as to all family members.

The hotline allows someone to call from anywhere in the United States and automatically be connected to specially trained nurses, pharmacists and doctors at the closest local poison center. These poison experts will respond to poison emergencies and answer poison-related questions about medicines, household products and other potentially dangerous substances. The service is free.

www.1-800-222-1222.info

United States Poison Centers

On average, poison centers in the United States manage a poison exposure every 14 seconds. The vast majority – 77 percent – of these exposures can be treated over the phone, right where they happen, with telephone advice and assistance from poison center experts. If emergency medical care is needed to treat a poisoning, poison center experts provide information on treatment to emergency personnel and other health care providers. Additionally, the expert staff at poison centers are available to answer non- emergency poison-related questions.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers is a nationwide not-for-profit organization of poison centers and others interested in the prevention and treatment of poisoning.