First Aid for Poisoning
Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Poisoning occurs when a person comes in contact with a toxic
substance. Contact can mean swallowing, inhaling, touching, or injecting a
toxic substance.
What are the causes and risks of the injury?
Poisons are found in many household items. Because they cannot read container labels, small children are more likely to
be poisoned. Poisonous items include:
prescription or over-the-counter medications
detergents
plants
pesticides
animals
paint
cosmetics
illegal drugs
occupational gases
foods
gasoline, kerosene, and fuel oil
antifreeze
windshield washer fluid
household cleansers
charcoal lighter fluid
carbon monoxide
food that hasn't been properly cooked, canned, or stored
Symptoms & Signs
What are the signs and symptoms of the injury?
The signs and symptoms of the poisoning can include:
abdominal distress
chest pain
chills
cough
diarrhea
dizziness
double vision
drowsiness
fever
headache
palpitations, or an unusual awareness of the heart beat
loss of appetite
irritability
urinary incontinence, or loss
of
bladder control
nausea and vomiting
numbness
seizures
shortness of breath
skin rash
unresponsiveness
unconsciousness
unusual breath odor
weakness
cherry-red color to the skin
Diagnosis & Tests
How is the injury recognized?
If a person is unaware that he or she has been exposed to poison or is too ill
to say what has happened, poisoning can be difficult to diagnose and treat. Healthcare providers
can do blood and urine tests to determine the type of poison. If the poison is
identified, seek emergency medical assistance and take the poison container.
Healthcare providers can provide appropriate treatment immediately if they know what the poison is.
Prevention & Expectations
What can be done to prevent the injury?
To prevent poisoning, follow these guidelines:
Keep all poisons out of children's reach.
Keep all prescriptions in a secure place out of children's
reach.
Remove plants that can be poisonous to children or pets.
Teach children the meaning of the poison symbol on containers.
Be aware of poisonous substances around the house.
Report any industrial poisons that are harmful to family members to
the local health department or the state or federal Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
Do not store toxic or noxious substances in food containers.
Label all storage containers.
Be aware that many substances meant to be eaten can be toxic if taken in
large amounts.
Treatment & Monitoring
What are the treatments for the injury?
Call the local poison control center to seek medical assistance. The phone
number is in the front of most phone books. These centers are operated 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week. Keep the number and address in an easy-to-reach
place.
If someone has swallowed poison:
Check for signs of circulation, such as normal breathing, coughing, or
movement in response to stimulation.
Contact the emergency medical
system immediately.
Start cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, if the person stops breathing.
Use 15 chest compressions for every 2 mouth-to-mouth rescue breaths.
If the person does not need CPR, try to find out what poisoned
him or her. Pay attention to burns or smells that may help to identify
the poison.
Call the local poison control center and follow the instructions given.
Do not induce vomiting unless told to do so. To induce vomiting take 1
tablespoon of syrup of ipecac followed by 2 glasses of water. Another way to
induce vomiting is to give a glass of warm milk containing 3 teaspoons of salt
or 1 teaspoonful of dried mustard.
If the person vomits, protect the airway by turning his or her head to the side.
The rescuer should wear gloves or wrap his or her hand in a cloth before cleaning out the
person's mouth. The poison is probably still inside the person's stomach.
Reassure and observe the person until medical help arrives. If there is
poison on the clothing, remove the clothing. Clean the skin with water.If someone inhaled poison:
Call for help. Be careful and cautious. Do not try to rescue the person
until it is certain that the gas has been cleared from the area.
Remove the person from the area. Before doing this, the rescuer should hold a wet cloth over
his or her nose and mouth, and open all windows and doors to get rid of the fumes.
After removing the person from the danger, check for signs of circulation,
such as normal breathing, coughing, or movement in response to stimulation.
Contact the emergency medical
system immediately.
Start cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, if the person stops breathing.
Use 15 chest compressions for every 2 mouth-to-mouth rescue breaths.
Protect the airway by turning the head to the side if the person vomits.
Try to clear the person's mouth of any vomit.
Stay with the person until medical help arrives.
To avoid becoming ill, the rescuer should avoid the area or make sure the poison has been cleared from the area.
What are the side effects of the treatments?
Vomiting is the most common side
effect of treatment. This may be a natural reaction to the poison. If the poison control center advises doing so, give
the person syrup of ipecac to
induce vomiting. Be aware that the vomit can be inhaled into the lungs causing aspiration pneumonia. People providing
care
should be careful, too. They could get sick from inhaling or being sprayed by
the poison.
What happens after treatment for the injury?
Most people recover fully from being poisoned. In some instances, there are serious injuries to the lungs or to the mouth and esophagus, which is the
tube leading from the mouth to the stomach. These people will require
long-term follow-up care from a healthcare professional. Prevention is the key
to avoiding future occurrences.
Attribution
Author:James Broomfield, MD
Date Written:
Editor:Ballenberg, Sally, BS
Edit Date:12/31/00
Reviewer:Eileen McLaughlin, RN, BSN
Date Reviewed:07/09/01
