There are some simple precautions you can take to help minimize the risk of an accidental poisoning in your home.

Know exactly what plants you have. If you have to call a poison control center (1-800-222-1222), you should know the scientific or Latin name of the plant that was ingested. If you can't identify the plant, they will advise you as if it were the worst poison, and perhaps your child will have his or her stomach pumped unnecessarily. Common names are not enough. Different plants can have the same common name, and common names for the same plant can vary among different regions of the country.

Label your plants with a permanent label. If you are not around, any adult who calls the poison control center should be able to identify the plant. I put the names on the same kinds of ties they use for bulk foods at the supermarket, and tied them around the plant. Writing the name on a stake is nice, but a 3-year-old may pull up all your stakes.

Teach children to eat only what you say is OK. My children asked me if the red berries on a bush were strawberries. Even if they don't look like foods they know, children will often sample berries, flowers and leaves. Very young children put everything in their mouths, so should be carefully supervised outside and in.

Get rid of highly toxic plants. Give poisonous plants away, or bring them to an office environment where children won't be present. Exchange toxic gift plants for child-safe plants. Remember that two philodendron leaves can kill a small child. I don't keep medicine or household cleaners around where my children can reach. Plants should be treated with the same caution. Putting plants up high is fine in some cases, but plants do drop leaves, which a child can pick up and eat. It may not be feasible to remove all your shrubbery, but create a child-safe play area away from the most hazardous plants.

Post the poison control center number (1-800-222-1222) and your local emergency center number by each phone in your house. If an accidental ingestion occurs, you (or a babysitter) won't waste valuable time searching for the number for emergency help.

If you suspect a child has eaten a nonfood plant:

Call the poison control center immediately. Don't take any action before you seek advice from your local poison control center. Poison control will give different advice based on what's been ingested. For instance, some plants are too caustic to induce vomiting. If your child's throat is swollen or he or she has difficulty breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number.

If you must go to the emergency room, take the plant or remnants of the plant with you. Particularly if you couldn't identify the plant to poison control, the physician or other staff at the emergency room may be able to identify what exactly was ingested. They will be able to decide a course of action based on knowledge of the plant your child ate. Remember that it is better to identify your plants first so that the physicians won't have to take the worst-case action.

(And by the way, daisies, if you were wondering, are considered toxic plants, but they are not as poisonous as other plants. They contain pyrethrins, which can irritate the skin or the stomach if large quantities are ingested. Pyrethrin compounds are used in lice preparations, animal flea control and indoor insecticides. So please ... don't eat the daisies.)

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