Expert from Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital shares carbon monoxide safety tips

Young children process carbon monoxide differently than adults, so they may experience more severe side effects and show signs of poisoning quickly. Jennifer Taylor, Manager of Injury Prevention at Le Bonheur Children’s hospital and Safe Kids Mid-South, offers advice on how to keep kids safe.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a gas that you cannot see, taste or smell and because of this, is often called the “invisible killer.” It is not only dangerous, but it can also be found all over the average home. Carbon monoxide is created when fuel-burning appliances, such as heating devices, grills, clothes dryers, and vehicles do not burn all the fuel they need to function. When working properly, these items are safe, but if something goes wrong, it could result in a deadly carbon monoxide leak.
Young children process CO differently than adults, so they may experience more severe side effects and show signs of poisoning quickly. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, nausea, and drowsiness. At its worst, CO can cause severe side effects or even death. However, there are steps you can take to keep your family safe from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Surprisingly, 184 children in the United States die each year due to carbon monoxide poisoning and more than 20,000 children visit the emergency room. The danger of carbon monoxide increases in the winter because fuel-powered devices are used more often.
Top Tips for Carbon Monoxide Safety
• Install carbon monoxide (CO) alarms. Make sure there is one on every level of your home, especially around sleeping areas.
• Test CO alarms every month. Replace them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Avoid using gas appliances inside your home. Use generators and grills outside of your home, away from windows and doors. Warm up vehicles outside of your garage.
• In a CO emergency, leave your home immediately. If the CO alarm sounds, quickly leave your home. Move to a safe location outside where you can breathe in fresh air before you call for help.
In case of an emergency call toll-free Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 and local emergency services at 9-1-1.
For more tips and resources to keep kids safe from injuries, visit www. lebonheur.org/ safekids.
About Le Bonheur Children’s – Le Bonheur Children’s, based in Memphis, Tenn., provides expert care for children in more than 45 pediatric subspecialties, encompassing robust community programs, a pediatric research institute and regional outpatient centers in Jackson, Tenn., Tupelo, Miss., and Jonesboro, Ark. Le Bonheur also features a 255-bed hospital in Memphis and a 21-bed satellite hospital within Jackson-Madison Country General Hospital in Jackson, Tenn. As the primary pediatric teaching affiliate for the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Le Bonheur trains more than 350 pediatricians and specialists each year. Nationally recognized, Le Bonheur has been named a U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospital for 12 consecutive years and is a Magnet-designated facility, the ultimate credential for high-quality patient care and nursing excellence. For more information, call (901) 287-6030 or visit lebonheur.org. Connect with Le Bonheur at facebook.com/lebonheurchildrens, twitter.com/lebonheurchild or on Instagram at lebonheurchildrens.