Putting poisons in unmarked containers such as lemonade bottles is an invitation for disaster! One of the most important things to be able to do if your child has swallowed a poison, is to be able to immediately identify it.

In some cases, the poison is safest in the stomach, in others, vomiting is the best option. It is wise to have a bottle of Syrup of Ipecac in your medicine chest, as this will induce vomiting.

Generally, some instructions are given on the poison container, so there is plenty of help available if your child does become poisoned. And the most important thing is to have the original packaging!

If your child does swallow something nasty, what you should do is telephone the poisons information centre, and if you can identify the poison, they can give you the safest action to take. This is why it is so important that you look up your Poisons Information Centre phone number now, and stick it near the phone.

If your child does swallow something nasty, you should immediately telephone your Family Doctor or Local Emergency Units.

It is best to consider all cleaning chemicals are poisonous. Products that are severely harmful to children should have a warning label on the container.

When you use a product, and are unsure of the level of danger to children, check the packages, and read the labels! If the product has a warning label, look for the child resistant container for that product when you next shop. If there is none available, select one that has a child resistant lid!

But a child resistant lid is not a garantee of safety.

They should be used with one or two other ideas. In most homes, under the sink is the most common place to keep your cleaning products. You can move all your chemicals up to a higher shelf. Not quite so convenient, but at least your child has less chance of getting into trouble. And don't rely solely on child resistant latches as the only form of protection. They can be left undone.

Chemicals kept in the laundry should get similar consideration too. If you have the room, either put a shelf up for your materials, or even better, a lockable cupboard. Concentrate washing detergents, stain removers, all are potential poisoning hazards.

So, place cleaning chemicals out of reach behind child resistant doors, with child resistant lids on the container, and there should be no problems.

Although not obvious at first sight, some everyday products are also extremely poisonous to children. Medicines are generally so, even ones such as IRON tablets. It could only take two Iron tablets to kill a toddler!

From contraceptive to headache to vitamin pills, etc., the safest thing is to put them away securely in your child resistant medicine cabinet.

We all tend to leave these seemingly harmless products in our bedroom. Toddlers may see you taking pills, and want to copy. Putting them in a drawer is not enough. Put them away in a proper secure cupboard.

And never refer to medicines as lollies, toddlers might think they've found a new supply of sweets!

Sometimes people will leave a machine loaded with detergent, and then the child will somehow get into the container, as only children know how.

Only a small amount of the dishwashing powder will severely burn so, don't put the detergent in the machine until you are ready to switch it on.

What can also happen, is that if the dishes are loaded incorrectly, a large item like a bowl or baking dish can stop the detergent dispenser door from fully opening. This then leaves a sludge in the dispenser after the dishwashing cycle is complete, which is extremely caustic.

Check your washer and if there is a sludge, read the instructions or contact the manufacturer or detergent maker.