Poisonous Plants
All children are little explorers; they are the best at finding things that us grown ups, never see. I have had experiences with this; my three children seem to find things around the house, which I never see or never thought, would be there. I have my house safety ready for my children or any child that comes into my house, but it’s not safety ready for their mouths. I don’t think that they make a safety device to put on their little mouths, although that would be easier. When my children are outside they love the flowers, vines, plants, and the different kinds of berries, that they see and will find on the ground. I am always telling them that things that are pretty don’t mean that they are good, but they are kids. They don’t really see danger especially with plants, flowers, and berries. That’s why I think it’s very important to educate safety about the different types of plants, flowers, and berries with children. Especially, teaching them that all plants aren’t good plants.
There are so many plants, flowers, and berries that are poisonous. I learned things about plants that I hadn’t really thought of, before. I researched the different kinds of plants, flowers, and berries that are poisonous; these are the one’s that will probably be the most importance for our children to know and to be educated about. Don’t take me wrong, as if the others aren’t important, because they are. All poisonous plants are important to our children as the things in their everyday lives are.
The most common Poisonous Plant that my children are aware of is the Ivy, Oak, and Sumac Plant. These are the one’s that I educated my children on first. I knew that the other plants, flowers, and all the other berries would be educated on later. I wanted to get the Ivy, Oak, and Sumac out there in the opening for them to understand this better, because just about everywhere we go there is a mess, of one of these three, hanging around, calling out children’s names. I was taught, when I was young, an old saying that I always think of when I see these three plants. I have taught this to my children also. ‘ Leaves of three, Let them be.” I was surprised to find a website that actually said the same. This is amazing that after all these years, that this saying is still being said, which is a good thing. Children love rhymes, so I knew this would linger with them for a long time. It works too, because if we’re out I hear them saying this if there are plants around. One time, my seven year old, she was playing with her brother and I guess she thought that he was heading toward the plants that were under one of the trees, because she yelled so loud at him. Then I saw her run to him and she was telling him to count the leaves but never touch them. Then I heard her say, “ see that’s why you don’t touch them.” That’s when I heard them singing the rhyme. “ Leaves of three, Let them be.”
The tissues of all these plants contain poisonous oil. This oil is what causes the plants to be so dangerous. If the oil was to ever come in contact with your skin, soap and water should be used as quickly as possible. The smallest amount of this oil on the skin can cause serious problems. From experience, I have seen red blistering patches form on the skin that will spread through out your body. These patches can be very itchy with some soreness. They make some lotions, like Calamine Lotion, that you can use to prevent the spread and dry out what has already been spread. My son just runs past a couple of plants, of the Ivy, in the back yard, and he end’s up breaking out all over. My son and I are very much allergic to the Poisonous Plants, Ivy, Oak, and Sumac. We have to get medical attention as soon as possible when we noticed an outbreak.
The other Plants, Flowers, and Berries are: Seeds from Apples, the leaves and pits from Peach, Plum, Apricot, Almond, and Cherry, the leaves berries and roots from the Pokeweed, the leaves-not stem from the Rhubarb, Foliage and vines of the Tomato, and Lilies. These are the few that had a surprise on me. There are plenty more to share also like; Aconite, Castor Oil Plant, Deadly Shade, Delphinium, Foxglove, Oleander, Privet, Yew, Autumn crocus, Azalea, Angel’s Trumpet, Caladium, Daffodil bulbs, Daphne the berries are poisonous, Datura nightshade, Dumbcane, English Holly the berries are poisonous, Hyacinth bulbs are poisonous, Bittersweet, Bleeding Heart, Black nightshade, Darnel, Deadly nightshade, Death Cama, Elderberry roots, Elephant ear-which I never knew, Horse Chestnut, Hemlock, and many more. An accurate list for all Poisonous Plants, Flowers, and Berries can make a nice educated planning for the children to know more about their surroundings. Most of these plants are where our children are. Some of the plants are probably not known to be poisonous, but are.
It is very important to start educating the children at a young age, so they will grow with the knowing, that all things aren’t good for them. There are many ways of getting the young to understand these things. They especially like when they are hands on, with an experiment. Trying something’s like art, touring the outdoors, and/or books are even a hit, with the children. There are several books that talk about poisonous plants on children’s level. Some of the children’s books could be; Dumb Cane and Daffodils: Poisonous Plants in the House and Garden and Moonseed and Mistletoe: a Book of Poisonous Plants .
Making learning fun for the child will teach them a lot. Children’s safety, health, and nutrition are so important for them. Making them understand that, in a way that they can understand it, is the joy when working with young children.
All the references that I used to complete my paper are included in the footnotes through out the paper.
