Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.
We're talking about babies this week on Healthwatch. When babies learn to crawl and pull up, and especially when they start learning to walk, it's important to keep anything that might harm them where they can't reach it. If you've ever watched a baby for any length of time, you know that anything they pick up goes straight into their mouths.
Doctors at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas say even things that are meant to be beneficial can be dangerous to small children.
Dr. Kathleen Delaney, a UT Southwestern emergency medicine expert, says vitamins - especially prenatal vitamins - can be toxic to small children because of their iron content.
If you suspect that a child has eaten any vitamin, medicine or other potentially dangerous substance, contact your local poison center immediately.
###
September 2005
Health Watch is heard Monday through Friday nationwide on the "Stardust" format of ABC Satellite Radio. Call your local radio station and ask if they carry the program.
