PRIMARY PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTAL POISONING OF PRESCHOOL AGED CHILDREN USING LABELS AS DETERRENT

The present study investigated the feasibility of using labels on toxic substances as deterrants to selection by preschool children. National and local statistics indicated that there is a 6% annual increase in pediatric poisonings. Forty percent of the substances involved in these incidents are those which are usually found in the medicine cabinet. Efforts to reduce accidental ingestions include the use of labels warning children not to handle the substances on which they appear. One such successful label is the "Mr. Yuk" decal which is issued by the Pittsburg Poison Control Center. Statistics issued by that organization report that fatalities have been eliminated in Pittsburg. The present study furthered the effort in finding a label which would help deter children to non-toxic, safer substances.;Two hundred forty-six children were exposed to eleven types of labels: (a) a common commercial label; (b) the "Mr. Yuk" decal; (c) a label with a gray background-skull and crossbones; (d) a gray background with a scowling female face depicted on it; (e) a gray background with the contents of the container printed on it; (f) a green background--skull and crossbones; (g) green background--scowling female face; (h) green background--plainly printed indication of contents; (i) white background-skull and crossbones; (j) white background--scowling female face; and, (k) white background--plainly printed indication of contents.;One label was presented on 12 toxic substances to twenty children (10 male, 10 female) in a standard medicine cabinet which also had eight non-toxic substances dispersed randomly on three equidistant shelves. The cabinet was located in the housekeeping section of each classroom in two Long Island, New York nursery schools. Children were randomly selected by their teacher to play in that area while the remainder of the class was engaged in a structured activity. The time each child took to discover the cabinet and open the door, and the time taken to select a substance was recorded, as well as the substance and label. A posttest interview was also conducted.;Results suggest that children's selection of substances can be influenced by the label which appears on the container. The probablity of selection for five of the 10 treatment labels was significantly less than the comparison group which was exposed to the common commercial labels only. Those labels were the gray background--plain print, gray background--scowling female face, gray background--skull and crossbones, white background--plain print and green background--scowling female face. No significant difference was found between sexes, ages, or labels in time taken to select a substance nor in time taken to be attracted to the cabinet in the housekeeping section of the classroom.;Over 50% of the children explored the contents of the cabinet and selected a substance. The results of the posttest interview suggested that children are much more sophisticated in their knowledge and use of medications, and of the restrictions which involve medicine, than adults realize.;Suggestions for further research are also presented.