Young children are very mischievous and curious. They are always trying to put anything they can get their hands on in their mouths, touch it, and taste it. Although this curiosity is very important for their development, sometimes even ordinary things at home can be a big danger to their lives. Poisoning a child is something that can happen in such an unexpected way. Therefore, it is very important for us to be fully aware of this.
What are the symptoms of poisoning?
If a child gets poisoned, they can suddenly become ill. Sometimes they won't even know what happened. It's important to be aware of these symptoms.
| Symptom | Description |
|---|---|
| Difficulty breathing | Feeling short of breath, breathing rapidly, or not breathing at all. |
| Difficulty speaking | Slurring of words, stuttering, or inability to speak. |
| Dizziness and loss of consciousness | Inability to sit still, blue eyes, fainting, or complete loss of consciousness. |
| Mucus discharge or burning sensation in the mouth | Mucus flowing from the sides of the mouth, a burning or reddening of the mouth or lips. |
| Stomach ache, vomiting, and nausea | Severe stomach pain, persistent vomiting, and nausea. |
Main reasons why children get poisoned
Most of these accidents happen at home. And that's especially true for children under the age of 5. Since their bodies are not yet fully developed, even something that an adult can handle can be very harmful to a child. Let's take a look at what these things are.
1. Medicines
The main reason why children are poisoned is because of medications. The medications that you, your husband, or anyone else in the house uses can be very dangerous for children. Just think, even a single pill of painkillers (such as `Opioids`) as well as medications for high blood pressure, diabetes, and mental illnesses can be life-threatening for a small child.
Even the medicine given to the child by the doctor can be dangerous if taken in excess of the prescribed dose. Since liquid medicines (honey medicines) are often sweet, if a child gets hold of the bottle, they are likely to drink a lot at once. Therefore, you need to be very careful with these things.
Keep these things in mind when giving medication:
* Always give the exact dose prescribed by your doctor. Do not use the teaspoons you have at home. Use the measuring cup and dropper that come with the medicine.
* If several adults in the household are giving the child medicine, maintain good communication between each other. Otherwise, the medicine may be given twice.
* If a pill falls to the floor, don't stop looking until you find it. A crawling child might put it in their mouth.
2. Cleaning Products
Many cleaning agents contain harsh chemicals (`caustic agents`) that can burn the skin, eyes, and respiratory system. Even small amounts of things like toilet cleaners and basin cleaners can seriously damage a child's digestive tract. Also, some of the compounds in sanitizers can be toxic even if inhaled.
3. Pesticides and herbicides
The things we use to control weeds in the garden and insects in the home are very dangerous for children. These can contain highly toxic chemicals like `organophosphates`. If you suspect that a child has ingested something like this, take them to the hospital's Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) immediately.
4. Alcohol and Drugs of Abuse
If a child drinks a bottle of alcohol at home, their blood sugar levels can drop dangerously low, causing them to have seizures and lose consciousness (a coma). Alcohol is also found in mouthwash, sanitizers, and some cough syrups. Also, if a child gets their hands on illegal drugs at home, it can be fatal.
5. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and extremely dangerous gas. This gas can accumulate in places where there is no ventilation, such as a generator, a gas stove, a gas water heater, a wood stove inside a house, or a car left running in a garage. When inhaled, it can cause dizziness, nausea, loss of consciousness, and even death.
6. Poisonous Plants
Some of the plants we plant to keep our gardens beautiful can be poisonous to children. For example, plants like Oleander and Glory Lily can cause heart damage and be fatal if ingested. It is important to be aware of the types of trees in your garden.
7. Other materials
- Hydrocarbons: Substances such as gasoline, kerosene, thinner, and lighter fluid can damage the brain and nervous system if ingested or inhaled.
- Liquid Nicotine: This liquid, used in e-cigarettes (vapes), is a highly concentrated poison. Even if applied to the skin or ingested in small amounts, it is fatal to a child.
What do we do if we accidentally ingest poison? (First aid)
If a child ingests poison, the most important thing is not to panic, but to act quickly and correctly.
Most importantly: If the child is unconscious, having difficulty breathing, or having seizures, immediately take them to the nearest hospital Emergency Department (ETU) or call an ambulance before doing anything else.
| Event | What to do |
|---|---|
| If you swallow poison | Remove anything from the child's hands. Remove anything left in the mouth. Do not induce vomiting for any reason without medical advice. Some poisons can be harmful if vomited. |
| If poison gets on the skin | Immediately wash the area thoroughly with soap and lukewarm water. If there are blisters or burns on the skin, take it to the ETU immediately. |
| If you inhale poison | Immediately move the child to a well-ventilated outdoor area. If the child stops breathing, you may need to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) until medical help arrives. |
| If poison gets into the eye | Continue rinsing the eye with lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes. Then seek medical advice immediately. |
What if I need expert advice? - National Poison Information Centre
If you are unsure whether a substance is poisonous or not, or what to do if your child ingests something, there is a place where you can seek expert advice. That is the National Poisons Information Centre located at the Colombo National Hospital.
You can call its phone number at any time and seek advice from doctors and specialists. Therefore, it is very important to find the phone number of the center and keep it in a visible place on your phone and at home.
When you speak there, having this information ready will make it easier to get quick advice:
- The child's age and weight.
- Name of the product ingested (have the bottle or packet handy if possible).
- Symptoms that the child shows.
- Amount ingested (approximate).
- Details of any other illnesses the child has.
How can these dangers be prevented?
"Prevention is better than cure," they say. With a little care, we can prevent more than 90% of these accidents.
- Store safely: Keep all medications, cleaning supplies, pesticides, etc. out of reach of children, out of sight , or in a locked cupboard.
- Keep in original containers: Never store chemicals in food or drink bottles or cups.
- Be careful at grandparents' house: Medications used by adults may come in bottles that are easy for children to open. Also, they may leave the medication out in the open. So be aware of that as well.
- Repack after use: Return medicine bottles and cleaning supplies to their original place as soon as they are finished using them.
- Dispose of unused items: Properly dispose of expired and unused medicines and chemicals. You can consult your doctor about this.
- Do not leave children alone: Do not leave children alone when using chemicals or administering medication.
It is our responsibility to protect our children. With a little attention, a little care, we can prevent a major danger to the lives of our little ones.
Take-Home Message
- The main reason children get poisoned is from medicines and cleaning products in the home.
- Store all medicines and chemicals safely in a locked place, out of the reach of children.
- If you suspect that a child has ingested poison, take them to the hospital's Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) immediately. Do not induce vomiting without medical advice.
- Find and keep the telephone number of the National Poison Information Centre at the Colombo National Hospital handy. Seek advice from them in case of any doubt.
- Many accidents can be prevented by always keeping an eye on children as they explore things with curiosity.
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