Common tips for avoiding call to Mr. Yuk

NATIONAL POISON Prevention Week is March 20-26. Some 30 children die every year due to unintentional poisonings, and approximately a million phone calls are placed to poison control centers annually by adults seeking help when children have swallowed something harmful. For more information, go to www.poisonprevention.org

Here are some good housekeeping rules to prevent poisonings:

Use child-resistant packaging properly by closing the container securely after use.

Keep all chemicals and medicines locked up and out of sight.

Call the poison center 1-800-222-1222 immediately in case of poisoning.

When products are in use, never let young children out of your sight, even if you must take the child or product along when answering the phone or doorbell.

Keep items in original containers, leave the original labels on all products, and read the label before using.

Do not put decorative lamps and candles that contain lamp oil where children can reach them because lamp oil is very toxic.

Always leave the light on when giving or taking medicine. Check the dosage every time.

Avoid taking medicine in front of children. Refer to medicine as “medicine,” not “candy.”

Clean out the medicine cabinet periodically, and safely dispose of unneeded medicines when the illness for which they were prescribed is over. Pour contents down drain or toilet, and rinse the container before discarding.

It’s time to start planning for Easter egg hunts

Here are hunts open to the public:

Easter Egg Hunts (Moms Club of Spokane)

Egg hunt and membership drive for stay-at-home moms and their children. Hunts will be Friday at Comstock Park on the South Hill, next Monday at Millwood Park in the Valley; and March 23 at Shadle Park on the North Side. All hunts begin at 10:30 a.m. 448-5928.

Annual Easter Egg Hunt

For ages 10 and under, March 26, noon, Riverfront Park, Clocktower Meadow. Free. 456-4FUN.

Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt (Hays Park)

Seventh annual event sponsored by the Northeast Youth Center, a program of the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department. March 26. Ages 4 to 6 begin at 6:45 p.m., ages 7 to 9 begin at 7:45 p.m. and ages 10 to 13 begin at 8:30 p.m. Bring a flashlight and prize bag. Everyone “wins.” Pre-registration is required by next Monday. 1700 E. Providence Ave. $8. 625-6200.

Free Easter Egg Hunt (Spokane Christian Center)

Egg hunts for ages 2 to 12 at noon and 2 p.m. with 20,000 eggs filled with candy. Saturday, March 26. 8909 E. Bigelow Gulch Road, corner of Argonne and Bigelow Gulch. Free. 924-4888.

Community Candy Hunt

Registration and carnival begin at 9:30 a.m., with an inflatable castle, giant slide, obstacle course, face painting, balloons and puppet shows, and the carnival continues until 2:30 p.m. The candy hunt begins at 11 a.m. followed by free drawings for bicycles and stuffed animals. A complimentary lunch of hot dogs and soda will be served. Saturday, March 26, Borah Elementary School, 632 Borah Ave., Coeur d’Alene. For more information, call 208-777-2183.