The following information is presented for educational purposes only and should never be used to assess or treat any toxic exposure. Always consult the poison center for specific advice on the management of any known or suspected poisoning.
Knowing
your basic first aid measures for a poisoning exposure, can save
lives and help prevent serious injury from occurring.
Remove
victims from contact with the chemical or gaseous fumes as long as
you do not put yourself in danger.
Do
not follow the poisoning advice on the product labels, some of
these instructions are very outdated and could potentially cause
more harm.
Call
your Poison Information Center or physician for instructions
before giving the victim anything to eat or drink.
If
you go to a health care facility, take the product container with
you.
Have
a bottle of ipecac syrup in the home (one bottle for each child in
the home) at all times. Do not administer ipecac without first
contacting the poison center or your physician.
Never
give any medications prior to calling your local poison center or
physician for advice.
Oral exposures (by
mouth)
When a product is placed in the mouth or swallowed you can
rinse the mouth with water. Then call the poison center for
further instructions. As mentioned above, some product labels
contain outdated or incorrect information. Do not try to
neutralize a poison by giving raw eggs, salt water, mustard,
vinegar or citrus fruit juices as an antidote or to cause
vomiting. Never attempt to induce vomiting by sticking your
fingers anywhere in the patient’s mouth; this procedure can be
very dangerous. Based on the type of poison, the specialist may
choose to give ipecac syrup, dilute with water or milk, or just
observe the patient for symptoms.
Ocular exposures
(eyes)
Following an ocular exposure, the eye needs to be rinsed for
15 minutes with room temperature tap water. This can be done
either at the sink using a pitcher of water or in the shower. It
is very important to be sure the eye is held open during the
irrigation. Call the poison center as soon as possible after the
exposure occurs. Some chemicals have the potential to cause severe
burns to the eye, the specialist may therefore recommend that you
irrigate the eye for 15-30 minutes and then proceed directly to a
health care facility for further irrigation and evaluation.
Immediately remove the person to fresh air. Ventilate that
area as soon as possible by opening windows or directing fans
toward the door, while protecting yourself from injury. Contact
your local poison information center or your physician for further
information. If the person is unconscious, having difficulty
breathing or not breathing, call 911.
Dermal exposures (skin)
Immediately remove any contaminated clothing and rinse the
affected area thoroughly with water. Wash the same area with soap
and water to remove all remaining chemicals on the skin. Call your
local poison center or physician for further instructions. Do not
use any other medications, ointments, solutions, or products on
the affected area until advised to do so by the poison center or
your physician.
Insects, spider bites
and bee stings
Clean the wound with soap and water, remove any stingers by
swiping the area with a butter knife or credit card. Apply baking
soda and water paste to the site, ice to site alternating 10 min
on 10 min off until no longer needed for pain, or may use a cold
compress in the same manner. Redness of the skin, mild swelling,
and/or itching are common symptoms. Observe for anaphylaxis:
flushing face, hives, chest pain, sweating, dysphagia, shortness
of breath. If any of these symptoms occur, go to a Health Care
Facility. Call your local poison center or physician for further
instructions and symptoms to watch for. See Florida's Critters for
detailed information on characteristics of specific bites and
stings.
Marine stings
Portuguese Man-Of-War, Jellyfish, or Fire
Coral
Irrigate the affected area with water in which you were
exposed, then soak the area in vinegar for 30 minutes. Remove
remaining tentacles by applying a paste of baking soda or flour
and scraping or shaving the area with a butter knife. DO NOT rub
the area. When this is dry, apply topical steroid cream every four
hours for several days. If an allergic reaction develops or if
symptoms do not resolve, go to a health care facility.
Stingray, Catfish, or Sea Urchin
Irrigate the wound with fresh water if available or with sea
water if fresh water is not available. Attempt to remove any
sheath or barbs seen in the wound then submerse the injured part
in water as hot as the patient can tolerate for 30-90 minutes. If
unable to remove any part of the sheath or barb, go to a health
care facility. Make sure your tetanus immunization is up to date.
Analgesics can be taken as directed if needed for pain. If an
allergic reaction develops or if symptoms do not resolve, go to a
health care facility.
Plant exposures
The majority of children and adults who eat plants do not
suffer serious ill effects. However, some plants are more harmful
than others, and certain individuals may be more susceptible to
their toxic effects. You should familiarize yourself with the
following guidelines related to plant exposures.
Keep one bottle of ipecac syrup in the home for each child
in your household. DO NOT use it unless instructed to do so by the
poison information center or your physician.
Use the plant list as a guide to identify, label and record
all plants in and around your home. Determine which plant was
involved in the exposure. Was it touched or eaten? If it was
ingested, how much, and which part (leaves, berries, stems, fruit,
seeds or roots) was involved? How long ago did this happen? If a
plant was eaten, give the child a small amount of water or milk to
drink and wash any irritated skin area. Call the poison center to
determine if the plant is poisonous. Carefully follow all
directions for treatment, and watch for any further symptoms, call
the poison center if symptoms develop, persist or worsen.
For Poisoning Emergencies Call 1-800-222-1222 V/TTY
