You turn your head and your toddler is inserting a sandwich half into the DVD player. Mostly, we're lucky; our momentary slipups as parents aren't too harmful. However, some close calls can be scary – like catching your three-year-old holding a can of bug spray.

Most people aren't aware that household pesticides, the products we use in and around our homes to kill ants, germs, cockroaches, flies, mice, rats, and termites, can harm a child's health if stored or used improperly.

Each year thousands of children under the age of six are poisoned by common household pesticide products. Many parents still store pesticide products within the reach of children. One of the simplest ways of preventing pesticide poisoning is to store household products out of a child's reach.

Accidents are bound to happen in life, but we can't depend solely on good fortune to protect our kids from harm's way. Play it safe. With some simple prevention steps, you can assure a safe and healthy home for your family despite life's unpredictable moments. Full text» [PDF, 407KB]