Adolescence | VIVIAN KIRKFIELD – Writer for Children

CleanWell is the only hand sanitizer that is all-natural and alcohol free. The Ingredients in CleanWell are safe for kids, non-toxic, and come from rapidly renewable resources that grow abundantly worldwide. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Moms: Have you checked your purse lately? Do you have any of those convenient travel-size bottles of hand sanitizer?

Most parents are careful about child-proofing their home when they have infants and young children around…but many may not be aware of how toxic hand sanitizers are.

On the news this morning, I heard a report of teenagers who are ingesting hand sanitizers to get high…and the results may be deadly.

What can parents do to protect against this new danger?

Child-proof your purse as well as your home.
Be observant…know where your children are and what they are doing…don’t be shy about speaking with them or looking in backpacks or pockets if your suspect there is a problem.
Be engaged…talk with your children about the dangers of ingesting or inhaling toxic substances. Ask if any of their friends are doing this.
Be involved…participate with your children. When you build a strong connection in those early years, your children will be more likely to come to you with problems and concerns…but it is never too late to strengthen or improve that relationship.

For more information about the dangers of hand sanitizers and other toxic household products, please click on the links below. The first has excellent tips for parents.

http://safety.lovetoknow.com/Hand_Sanitizer_Poisoning

http://blogs.webmd.com/whats-new/2012/04/the-new-teen-drinking-trend-hand-sanitizer.html

http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/indiana/poison-control-responds-to-hand-sanitizer-abuse?ref=scroller&categoryId=10001&status=true

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