Unintentional poisoning causes thousands of deaths every
year, many as a result of products around the home. Quick
response and proper emergency assistance can help prevent
some of these deaths. The following information will help
you to know what to do for a victim of poisoning.
!! Steps !!
The skull and crossbones is a poison warning Understand what
poisoning is. A poison is a substance that enters the body and causes
injury, illness, or death. A poison can be in the form of a solid, a
liquid, a gas, or vapor fumes. The areas through which poisons can
enter the body are:[1]
* the mouth and digestive system
* through the lungs (fumes)
* absorption of a chemical or plant extract through skin
* via injection.
Check for obvious sources of poisons Remain calm. When approaching
someone who appears to be poisoned, it is crucial that you observe
and check for anything that may endanger you as well, especially in
the case of gas and vapors.
* Ensure that you, the victim, and any other people are safe before
attempting to give first aid. If needed, and if safe to do so,
move the patient to somewhere safer, away from the poison.
* If the poison is in the form of a gas, check the area first for
your safety, then remove the victim from the area and go to an
area with fresh air. For more information, read wikiHow's articles
on how to survive a gas attack and preventing carbon monoxide
poisoning after an emergency.
* Look for what may have poisoned the person. Look for tablets,
plants (berries), mouth burns, etc. Knowing the source of the
poison is essential for treatment purposes.
Vomiting can be a sign of poisoning Check for signs and symptoms of
poisoning. Symptoms and signs of poisoning will vary according to
what has poisoned the victim. Some of the more common symptoms
include:[2]
* Nausea and vomiting
* Diarrhea
* Abdominal pain
* Burns or redness around the mouth
* Unconsciousness, or slipping into unconsciousness
* Seizures
* Difficulties in breathing, breath that smells of chemicals or
almonds, etc.
* Unusual behaviors such as aggression, hallucinations, confusion,
sudden exhaustion, etc.
* Physical signs such as stains on clothing, spilled pills, bottles,
etc.
Check for consciousness Check the victim's state of consciousness.
The state of consciousness determines the approach to be taken to
caring for the victim and who to contact.
* If the victim is unconscious but is breathing normally, turn the
victim on her side in a supported position. This will open and
clear the airway.
* If the victim is unconscious but there are no signs of life, begin
CPR.
* Call for emergency services to get medical assistance immediately.
American Association of Poison Centers logo Call the poison control
center for a conscious (awake and alert) victim. This will enable you
to seek specific advice on treating the victim. The phone numbers for
various countries are noted under "Tips". Have the following
information at hand:
* Victim's age and weight.
* The container, bottle of poison, or any other relevant item, (if
available).
* The time the poisoning took place.
* Address where the poisoning happened.
Stay on the phone and follow all the instructions given to you by
emergency assistance or the poison control center.
Washing eyes might be appropriate Note some of the basic responses
that you might be able to do before help arrives. The following
actions can be helpful, coupled with advice you're provided from
emergency advisers:
* If the source of the poisoning is in solid form, such as pills,
wrap your finger in a clean cloth and remove any pills or residue
that may be in the victim's mouth.
* If the poison is a skin corrosive, remove the victim's clothing
from the injured area and flush with water for 30 minutes. Discard
the clothing to prevent further injury to anyone else.
* If the poison has come in contact with the victim's eyes, flush
the eyes with clean, lukewarm water for a minimum of 15 minutes.
Ask the victim to blink a lot but to avoid rubbing their eyes.
* Check the product label if the victim has swallowed a household
product. There will often be emergency instructions provided on
the label.
* Do not induce vomiting unless you're advised to do so by medical
professionals.
* Do not administer syrup of ipecac. This is no longer advised as an
appropriate approach to treating poisoning and can either mask
symptoms or interfere with reliable treatment options.[3] Vomiting
alone will not remove poisons from a stomach.[4]
!! Video !!
!! Tips !!
Place the poison control number near your home telephone and save it
to your cell or mobile phone. The numbers for poison control centers
are:
* USA Poison Control Center (24 hours): *1-800-222-1222*
* Canada: See the NAPRA/ANORP site
http://napra.org/pages/Practice_Resources/drug_information_resources.aspx?id=2140
for provincial numbers
* UK National Poisons Emergency: *0870 600 6266*
* Australia (24 hours a day, 7 days a week - Australia wide): *13 11
26*
* New Zealand National Poisons Centre (24 hours): *0800 764 766*
* For other poison centers, see The World Directory of Poisons
Centres, http://www.who.int/ipcs/poisons/centre/directory/en/.
* Whenever possible, have the container or label from the poison
with you when you call for help. You'll need to answer questions
about the poison.
* Read the label before using a product that may be poisonous.
* Follow the directions on the label when giving or taking
medicines.
* It's a good idea to have a list of common poisonous plants from
your region or in your garden, with photos, so that you can easily
recognize berries, flowers, etc.
* Remember, the goal in the first place is to prevent a poisoning
from happening. To prevent future poisonings, keep all potential
toxins stored responsibly out of reach of children.
!! Warnings !!
* Always call for emergency assistance no matter what form of
poisoning has occurred. Quick and proper medical assistance is
imperative.
* Never mix household cleaning or chemical products together as some
combined chemicals can create toxic gases.
* Never leave children alone with household products or drugs. Keep
all poisonous and toxic items safely out of reach and securely
stored.
* Do not try to remove pills from the mouth of an infant, it could
force the pills further into the throat.
!! Things You'll Need !!
* Clean water
* Safe resting place
* Telephone
!! Related WikiHows !!
* How to Avoid Poisoning from Household Chemicals
* How to Recognize the Symptoms of Toxic Poisoning
* How to Avoid Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
* How to Act When You Find Gas Leaking in the Kitchen (USA)
* How to Identify Common Poisonous Berries in North America
!! Sources And Citations !!
* http://www.cdc.gov/nasd/docs/d000101-d000200/d000105/d000105.html
– research source
* http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/poisonprevention.htm –
research source
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