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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.



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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

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Copyright 2003 by Pecos Enterprise