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About Poisoning
Over 100 million cases of poisoning occur in the United States each year, most involving kids and younger children. Poisoning is injury or death due to swallowing, inhaling, touching or injecting various drugs, chemicals, venom or gases. Many substances — such as drugs and carbon monoxide — are poisonous only in higher concentrations or dosages. Certain types of cleaners are only harmful if ingested, while others also emit toxic gases/fumes. Kids and younger children are usually more susceptible.
Prevention
Substances that can be harmful should be kept away from children. Make sure cleaning products, insect repellent, and other products with chemicals are kept and stored separately from food, cookware, and eating ware during hikes and camp outs, and that access is controlled.
Symptoms
Various chemicals and poisons cause different symptoms, and treatments vary depending upon the substance, how much, exposure, etc. Poisoning signs and symptoms can mimic other conditions, such as seizure, alcohol intoxication, stroke and insulin reaction. Signs and symptoms of poisoning may include:
- Burns or redness around the mouth and lips
- Breath that smells like chemicals, such as gasoline or paint thinner
- Vomiting
- Difficulty breathing
- Drowsiness
- Confusion or other altered mental status
If you suspect poisoning, be alert for clues such as empty pill bottles or packages, scattered pills, and burns, stains and odors on the person or nearby objects.
Treatment
THE FIRST STEP IN TREATMENT IS ALWAYS CALL THE LOCAL POISON CONTROL CENTER. Have the poison control center number on hand and call 911 and get connected immediately. National Poison Control in the U.S. is available online at www.poison.org or by calling 800-222-1222.
Identify the nature of the poison and receive specific care instructions from the professional staff at poison control. All poisoning victims need to be monitored carefully for signs of shock or impaired consciousness.
Be ready to describe the person’s symptoms, age, weight, other medications he or she is taking, and any information you have about the poison. Try to determine the amount ingested and how long since the person was exposed to it. If possible, have on hand the pill bottle, medication package or other suspect container so that you can refer to its label when speaking with the poison control center. Take the following actions until help arrives:
- Swallowed poison. Remove anything remaining in the person’s mouth. If the suspected poison is a household cleaner or other chemical, read the container’s label and follow instructions for accidental poisoning.
- Poison on the skin. Remove any contaminated clothing using gloves. Rinse the skin for 15 to 20 minutes in a shower or with a hose.
- Poison in the eye. Gently flush the eye with cool or lukewarm water for 20 minutes or until help arrives.
- Inhaled poison. Get the person into fresh air as soon as possible.
- If the person vomits, turn his or her head to the side to prevent choking.
- Begin CPR if the person shows no signs of life, such as moving, breathing or coughing. YOU MUST BE CERTIFIED AND QUALIFIED TO DO THIS.
- Have somebody gather pill bottles, packages or containers with labels, and any other information about the poison to send along with the ambulance team.
ACTIVATED CHARCOAL and SYRUP OF IPECAC should be on hand for possible use in poisoning emergencies, however they should NEVER be administered unless instructed and with guidance by the Poison Control Center. Both of these items are readily available, without prescription, at any drug store.