Call Poison Control if you suspect ingestion or exposure to dangerous substances, even if there is no danger. Pediatricians recommend calling before taking action, and any suspected ingestion should be treated as poisoning. Keep the number displayed or on speed dial.
You should call Poison Control whenever you suspect accidental or intentional ingestion of a substance that could be dangerous. Additionally, exposure of the skin or eyes to certain chemicals should also result in a call to this facility. While there are state poison centers, these numbers may be hard to come by right away. You can simply call the US National Poison Center toll free any time of night or day at 1-800-222-1222.
With approximately 80,000 children seen in hospitals each year for accidental exposure to life-threatening substances, poison control is a valuable free resource. His staff are happy to converse with anyone concerned about possible poisoning. This is the case, even if there is no danger.
In some cases, parents simply don’t know that a child has eaten something deadly. There are approximately 30 child deaths in the United States each year due to accidental poisoning. Most of these cases are preventable when you are aware of possible poison ingestion and call Poison Control immediately for advice.
Most pediatricians recommend calling poison control before taking any sort of action. It’s especially important not to try to induce vomiting or give your child anything to eat if you suspect she may have eaten something toxic. In some cases, if a child or adult is unconscious and cannot be woken up, the first call should be to emergency services such as 911.
Pediatricians often include the recommendation that parents call poison control before contacting a child’s doctor. This is because contacting a doctor, especially during off hours, tends to mean waiting for assistance. By contacting the center first, you can get advice on whether to seek emergency treatment.
Any suspected ingestion of any substance not intended for food, including vitamins, should be treated as suspected poisoning. Whenever possible, try to get a child to identify what she ate. Stay calm when you can, because a child is likely to be more honest if he isn’t afraid of your anger.
If a child comes in from the yard chewing on a leaf, ask him to show you where he got the leaf. Some outdoor plants are harmless, while others can be extremely poisonous such as foxglove or oleander. When in doubt, always call poison control.
It helps to give operators as much information as possible, so they can give you the best advice possible. If a child has snacked on vitamins or pills, which is a life-threatening situation, take the bottle with you to the phone, so you can identify all possible sources.
If you are a parent, it makes sense to keep the number for Poison Control displayed in a prominent place. Alternatively, enter the number on speed dial.
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