Help! My Child May Have Been Poisoned

Your curious toddler just came out of the bathroom and you discover the lid is off the mouthwash. What do you do? Call Poison Control, right?

Well, yes, but . . . sometimes we aren’t sure if our child swallowed something dangerous, or if they even got into something at all. So we quiz the child, smell his breath, call grandma, wait for symptoms to show up, or in other words – hesitate.

How can we know when to call for help? According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, a poison is “anything someone eats, breathes, gets in the eyes, or on the skin, that can cause sickness or death if it gets into or on the body.” Obviously we need to be careful with insecticides, cleaners and medications, but we also need to be aware of household things like magnets, button batteries, hand sanitizers, cosmetics, and common plants. Poison Control can even answer questions about bug bites.

Here are some helpful tips from the Utah Poison Control Center on what to do if you think your child may have been poisoned:

• Be prepared: Add the tool-free nationwide number (800) 222-1222 to your cell phone contact list or request free telephone stickers from the Poison Control Center.
• If you suspect a possible poisoning Don’t Wait; call Poison Control immediately. Remain calm and have the product available at the phone.
• Have the following information available:
  • How the child is feeling or acting right now
  • Age and weight of the child
  • The amount taken
  • When it happened
• Do not try home remedies or try to make the poisoned person throw up.
• If the child is unconscious, having convulsions or difficulty breathing, call 911 immediately

Supervision is the best prevention, but we can’t watch our children 100% of the time. So look at a room from a child’s eye level and see what they see. Be aware that kids can climb anything and even open child resistant caps. Teach your children to avoid questionable substances. Never call medication “candy.”

Most importantly, be familiar with the first aid treatments for inhaled, skin/eye contacted, or ingested substances.

For more information on how to keep your child safe or to order telephone stickers and other educational materials, visit www.utahpoisoncontrol.org.

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