Temperatures outside have been dropping quickly, so parents need to be aware of a potential “silent killer” inside their homes — carbon monoxide.
Poisonings from carbon monoxide (CO) are especially common during cold weather spells, as families increase the use of gas, oil and coal burning appliances. Children process carbon monoxide differently than adults. When there is a CO leak, children are often the first affected by it and can suffer severe effects, including death, according to experts at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.