Some ingestion hazards might not be as obvious as others. Call the poison center immediately at (800) 222-1222 if you suspect a child has swallowed any of these:
Powerful small magnets: These come with some building sets intended as desk toys for adults and can cause severe injuries if swallowed or inhaled. Better not to have them at all in homes with children, as even older children are tempted to fake piercings or use their teeth to pull them apart, not expecting them to repel the other magnet and possibly be swallowed. If they are in your home, check to see all magnets stay with the set and keep up and out of reach of children.
Button cell batteries: Ubiquitous in our homes in remote controls, appliances, toys and even greeting cards, these coin shaped batteries can cause severe damage within a few hours if swallowed – burning a children’s esophagus. Check to see that all battery compartments are closed (those on toys should require a tool to access batteries) and inaccessible to children. You can use duct tape on remote controls to secure the compartment if needed.
Liquid nicotine: While new federal law requires child resistant packaging, even a tiny bit of this nicotine product can injure and kill a toddler. If anyone vapes in the household, keep the products up and out of reach. Liquid nicotine can be absorbed through a child’s skin even if they don’t swallow any.
Laundry packets: While convenient for laundry, these are very appealing to young children and can cause eye injuries and severe intestinal or respiratory problems if swallowed or mouthed. Use a liquid or powder detergent if very young children are in the house or keep locked up and out of reach. Always close the child resistant container