JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – A concerning new report revealed that Mississippi is one of the top five states when it comes to the number of child poisonings.

March 19–25 is National Poison Prevention Week in 2023. According to the National Poison Data Center, Mississippi is among the top states with the most child poisonings. Forty-nine percent of those poisonings happen to children under the age of five.

Jenna Davis, the managing director of the Mississippi Poison Control Center, said they receive many calls about kids being poisoned.

“Overall, we see about 17,000 calls a year on poisonings in Mississippi. About 60 something percent of those are home callers. This is parents with a kid or accidental. They got in something they weren’t supposed to or use of it improperly. Sixty-one percent a year are home calls, and the rest are hospital calls,” said Davis.

Poison experts said you should keep medications, cleaning products and other household items locked away or out of a child’s reach.

“It’s very important to be aware of your surroundings, even though you’re in the home every single day. We often don’t look at our house through the eyes of a child, a very curious child. They seem to be crawling around quicker than ever, interested in exploring. No matter what color a product or object is, it may be attractive to that child,” said Brian Sansoni, senior vice president for Communications at the American Cleaning Institute.

One mother talked about other preventative measures she takes in her home.

“Tell her, ‘Don’t touch this. This is not to be touched. Don’t consume this.’ Just so she’s aware of the consequences of those actions,” said Jbria Iyalla.

For more information, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.