Various Random Stories; Part I

I had to call the Poison Control Center the other night. Don't worry, it's not as scary as it sounds.

Usually while I cook (which cooking itself is unusual for me), I let the boys play in their playroom which is just off the kitchen so I can hear them and check on them with ease. I was just finishing dinner when I realized that Owen was being really quiet. He's generally more quiet than Drew (a lot more), but this time I couldn't hear him throwing toys or anything. So I went in to check on him and there he was happily taking clothes out of his dresser and putting them back in. I thought with relief, "Okay, he's fine." But then he turned to look at me, and he had a white ring around his mouth. I picked him up and did a sniff-test and discovered it was Desitin (the anti-diaper rash ointment has a very distinct smell). I thought that was pretty gross, and I told him so: "That stuff goes on your bottom, not in your mouth." He just laughed.

I located the tube of ointment and checked the drug facts. It said, "If swallowed, get medical help or contact Poison Control immediately." Yikes! Usually things just say to drink some water or something. So I made The Call.

I guess a lot of people call Poison Control about their kids eating Desitin. The nice nurse on the phone advised me to remain calm (as I already was*) and asked me various questions about the type of Desitin and the amount swallowed. Turns out, Desitin Creamy, which is the type Owen decided to taste, has less Zinc Oxide in it, so it's not as harmful to little stomachs. Also, it was a small tube and didn't look like it had much missing (I'm guessing Owen didn't like the taste and didn't bother eating any more than a tiny morsel). The nurse assured me that he would be fine and sent me on my way. Thus ends Story Number One.

*I'm not the type to overreact (at certain things--I think David would say that I overreact to trivial stuff and I think he'd be correct, but in a real crisis, I usually remain fairly calm and level-headed). I just wondered why immediate medical care was required, as per the directions on the Desitin label.