How poisoning symptoms in young children can be prevented.

 

 

Young children with poisoning symptoms are every day admitted to the emergency room.

Did you know that in the USA every 30 seconds a child gets poisoned.

 

Main sources of poisoning in the home are:

• Prescription or over the counter medication and vitamins ( 50%),
  
• Cleaning supplies and personal care products (20%)
  
• Poisonous house plants and insect bites (5%)

It takes only a few seconds for a child to get poisoned. If your child is fine one moment and the other moment looks very ill it is very likely the child has ingested something poisonous.

The following poisoning symptoms should alert you that your child may have ingested a poisonous substance.

• Sudden abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Convulsions
• Breathing difficulties
• Diarrhoea
• Swelling of lips, mouth or throat
• Paralysis
• Is unconscious

 

 

If your child shows one or more of these poisoning symptoms it is very important you call the right service.

If the child is conscious call the poison help line 800-222-1222. Poison information centres are willing to answer your questions 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. They can give you advice on how to give first aid for poisoning and if it is necessary for the child to go to hospital.

If the child is unconscious dial 911.

 

 

 

 

Both the poison help line and doctor at the emergency will probably ask you the following;

• How much of the substance the child ingested.
  
• What are the poisoning symptoms of the child.
  
• Is the child conscious or not(if you ring the help line).
  
• What have you done so far to help your child?   

 

If you have no idea what substance poisoned your child and the child has been vomiting, it may be helpful to take some vomit with you. This may sound awful but it may help to determine what poisoned your child.

Young children love exploring their new world mainly by putting everything in their mouth. At the age of 9 months to a year they get more mobile and get access to areas like the kitchen, bathroom and garage.

This is where most people store the most poisonous products.
With the right precautions many accidental poisonings can be prevented.

Medicin looks like candy to little children

• Keep medication, pesticides and other toxic products locked in cabinets or put them on shelves higher than six feet.
  
  
• Always choose products with a safety cap.
  
  
• Keep products in their original container.
  
  
• Never mix household cleaning products because they can produce toxic fumes.
  
  
• Never refer to candy when you give medicine to your child.
  
  
• Choose the least dangerous products by reading the labels.
  
  
• Get rid of dangerous products you are never using.
  
  
• Check if you have poisonous house plants and get rid of them.
  
  
• Keep alcohol locked in cabinets and be careful young children cannot reach beer bottles in the fridge. Acute alcohol poisoning may be the result of your toddler drinking your beer.

 

 

Other kinds of poisoning like bacterial food poisoning and lead level poisoning are more difficult to prevent.

 

The danger of lead level poisoning in young children.

Babies are at a higher risk because their bodies absorb more lead than adult bodies. High levels of lead can cause serious health problems.If you are pregnant you may be worried about lead level poisoning for your unborn baby

 

Symptoms of food poisoning. Why are babies more at risk?

Baby’s symptoms of food poisoning will start 2 to 48 hours after consuming contaminated food. The main concern with babies is that they don’t get dehydrated.

 

Know the signs of alcohol poisoning. A small amount can be lethal for little children.

Signs of alcohol poisoning in young children is far more dangerous than in adults. If your child has irrational behaviour and falls all over the place he may have consumed alcohol or another product containing alcohol.