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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Tuesday, April 1, 2003
Children curious about things that could be poisonous
So many things children love enticing colors, intriguing containers,
inviting contents that look and smell like a favorite food or a familiar
beverage. To a small child, that decongestant on the nightstand looks just
like red cinnamon candies, and the laxative in the bathroom cabinet is almost
identical to a square of chocolate. That yellow lamp oil in the see-through
bottle on the kitchen counter smells a lot like lemonade. And the cleanser
in the round green can under the sink? It bears a close resemblance to a
container of sprinkle-on grated Parmesan cheese.
Poison control centers know all too well about "look-alikes" those
perfectly good products that become dangerous when mistaken for something
yummy by a curious crawler or climber, said Judy Whitfield, coordinator
for the Texas Poison Center Network and a staff member of the Bureau of
Epidemiology at the Texas Department of Health (TDH).
"During 2002, more than half of the 168,000 human-exposure calls the
state's poison control centers received involved the unintentional poisonings
of children under five. And that's an age group that represents only eight
percent of our population," said Whitfield.
Nationally, about 30 deaths and nearly one million incidents each year
involves children under five exposed to potential poisons.
"What makes small children especially vulnerable to accidental poisoning
is that they are constantly exploring and investigating the world around
them, often putting what they see and can reach into their mouths," said
Whitfield.
If a suspected poisoning occurs, people have a new nationwide toll-free
number that connects with the nearest poson control center.
Write it down: 1-800-222-1222. Post it by all the phones in the house
and program it into your cell phone," said Whitfield.
Those who call the toll-free number are connects to the nearest poison
control center and a network of nurses, pharmacists and paramedics.
Free photography contest set
The International Library of Photography announces that over $60,000
in prizes will be awarded this year in the International Open Amateur Photography
Contest. Photographers from the Pecos area, particularly beginners, are
welcome to try to win their share of over 1,300 prizes. The deadline for
the contest is June 30. The contest is open to everyone and entry is free.
"Everyone has at least one memorable photo that captures a special moment
in time," said Christinad Baylon, contest director. "When people learn about
our free photography contest, they suddenly realize that their own favorite
photos can win cash prizes, as well as gain national exposure," she said.
To enter, send one photograph in only one of the categories: people,
travel, pets, children, sports, nature, action, humor, portraiture, or other.
The photo must be a color or black-and-white print (unmounted), 8'X10" or
smaller. All entries must include the photographer's name and address on
the back, as well as his category and the title of the photo. Photographs
should be sent to: The International Library of Photography, Suite 101-2616,
3600 Crondall Lane, Owings Mills, MD 21117. Entries must be postmarked by
June 30. You may also submit your photo directly online at www.picture.com.
The International Library of Photography is an organization dedicated
to bringing the work of amateur photographers to the public's attention.
You can view the work of over 1.1 million amateur photographers at their
website, www.picture.com.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
Copyright 2003 by Pecos Enterprise
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