Since March is Poison Prevention Month, it's a good time to assess how accessible household poisons are to young children.

Whether a toddler gets into his grandparents' pills or takes a drink of a tasty-smelling cleaning product under the sink, poisons in the household may be easier for kids to get into than some people think.

About 50 percent of children who accidentally ingest poison are under 5 years old, said Dr. Glenn Charlton, associate director of the emergency department at Sharon Regional Health System.

"There are things that do taste good," Charlton said. "You get a kid young enough, they will eat or drink anything."

Parents may encourage kids to take medicine by calling it candy, Charlton said. Also, many medicines mimic candy. Laxatives look like chocolate, and pills can resemble breath mints.

Even everyday medicines, such as aspirin or vitamins, can harm a child. Aspirin should never be given to children, Charlton said, especially those with the flu or chicken pox, because it can lead to Reye's syndrome, a life-threatening disease which occurs in conjunction with another viral infection and affects the liver and the brain.

Some poisons are more hazardous than others. Chlorox bleach, for example, is so diluted that it is relatively harmless, Charlton said. But harsh cleansers that contain lye can be very dangerous.

Other poison culprits are the strange berries that grow in many backyards and certain household plants.

The first thing parents should do if they suspect their child has swallowed something dangerous is to call the Poison Control Center.

The Poison Control Center has a database of substances and can give a parent advice on what to do in case of an accidental poisoning. In some cases, the child can be treated at home. In others, the child should be taken to the emergency room.

The emergency room staff also contacts the Poison Control Center, even if the parent has already done that.

"We call them on every poison, whether the parent has or not, and they fax us the information," Charlton said. "The Poison Control Center is so responsive. They're available 24 hours a day."

Charlton said every home should have a bottle of syrup of ipecac, an over-the counter drug that induces vomiting.