Poisoning in children
Most often, the first victim of poisoning is a baby, because his natural curiosity is accompanied by a lack of awareness of the danger to which he is exposed due to some of his actions. But often the adults themselves are not prudent, leaving toxic and therefore dangerous substances in places accessible to the child. These can be left bleaches, washing powders, medicines, alcoholic beverages, medicines, cleaners, cosmetics, insecticides, certain gases and fumes.
It should be noted that bright packages cause children's interest.
In doing so, you first need to find out what he swallowed and call the ambulance( the poison poisoning center, sometimes his phone is on the label) before taking action that could be harmful.
The scary-sounding term "poisoning" means the penetration of substances that cause harm to the body, through ingestion and inhalation, as well as skin contact with them. Although many poisonous substances cause only a brief upset stomach, they can seriously damage the lungs and intestinal tissues;some poisons lead to death.
What to do
If your child swallows poison, call a local poison control service. Her phone must be in your visible place. If not, call the rescue service or call the hospital. Give the following information:
• the name of the swallowed substance and the ingredients it contains;
• when the substance was ingested and in what amount;
• the age and weight of the child;
• Symptoms: cough, vomiting, unusual behavior, etc.;
• your phone number.
Ethanol poisoning
Ethyl alcohol( or ethanol) is produced during the fermentation of sugar-rich plant substances;their introduction into the stomach causes characteristic symptoms. The condition worsens as their blood level rises and can provoke a deep coma and even lead to death.
Therapy for ethyl intoxication depends on the amount of swallowed substance and on how much time has passed since this moment. If the child after a large dose of alcohol has gone less than 4 hours, spend washing the stomach to stop the absorption of the remaining product in the stomach.
If a small dose is taken or if more than 4 hours have passed and the poison has already fully absorbed, the child must be hospitalized to observe his condition.
The doctor, depending on the age and condition of the child, will decide whether hospitalization is necessary.
A child should drink plenty of fluids to ensure the purification of blood, which, when passing through the kidneys, is cleansed of poison. The next day, sugar is given to compensate for starvation due to prolonged sleep and that the effects of poisoning are not too unpleasant.
Symptoms of
After consuming ethyl alcohol, the child's attention is dissipated, speech is difficult.
Then euphoria begins, there is a sense of audacity, a desire to talk and laugh. Often movements are deprived of coordination.
After this, there is drowsiness - a typical depressive effect on the central nervous system. Neurological depression can cause someone to obstruct breathing.
In the most severe condition, there are convulsions, nonsense and violent aggressiveness.
Poisoning by toxic products
Any substance that, if swallowed in large quantities, is likely to cause harm to the body can be considered toxic:
Do not leave the engine running in an enclosed space( for example, a garage).This can lead to the accumulation of toxic gases.
Regularly check the heating devices( bath heaters, stoves), as well as gas installations. Do not cover the airtight grilles.
If you smell gas, do not turn on the light and do not light the fire to cause an explosion.
If the baby has swallowed the laundry detergent, first of all, it is necessary to rinse the skin, which is in contact with the powder, with a lot of water! If the powder has got into the eyes, they are washed for 10-15 minutes with warm water or saline. If he swallowed the powder, flush the lips and mouth with water and immediately go to the hospital, not forgetting to take with him the name of the powder, or even better the label, so that the experts know what to do. Do not induce vomiting.
Your Actions
In case of poisoning it is necessary to remain calm, first of all, because the babies are the victims most often.
If there is a danger to life, take the necessary measures, for example, if you need artificial respiration, the "mouth-to-nose" method is preferable, avoiding that the assistant's mouth comes in contact with the poisoned one.
If the victim's condition is not severe, try to determine what causes the poisoning, and ask the child what happened.
Call the ambulance or immediately go to the poison control center, try not to induce vomiting, unless the specialist has asked for it.
Gas poisoning
Similar poisoning occurs in different ways. The leakage of gas in a house in an unventilated place can easily be detected by a characteristic smell. In the event of fire, toxic fumes and gases form which, in confined spaces, can cause asphyxiation. It is not uncommon for carbon monoxide poisoning due to incomplete combustion in roasters, stoves, etc., or because the engine is not switched off in the narrow space of the machine. This gas is odorless and can cause a loss of consciousness very quickly.
Your actions
Close the gas valve. Gas for domestic use usually has a characteristic smell, allowing you to determine its leakage.
If the child is poisoned with gas, immediately open the window and take it out of the room.
Assess the state of his consciousness and check breathing. If he is breathing, immediately take him to the hospital, if not breathing, begin resuscitation: artificial respiration and, if necessary, heart massage.
When and how to induce vomiting of
If you have been instructed to induce vomiting in the poisoning service, , do the following:
• Give the child 1 tablespoon( 3 teaspoons / 15 ml) of ipecacuaney syrup, followed by 240 ml( 1 glass)water or non-carbonated fruit juice. Keep a big basin ready, or take the child out into the street, or take him to the bathroom.
• To spread the ipecacuanas all over the stomach, tilt or swing the baby on your lap for a few minutes.
• If vomiting does not start within twenty minutes, give one more dose of Ipecakuana syrup.
• When the baby finally vomits, tilt the baby face down, so that the head is below the trunk. Collect the vomit into the basin so that the poison can be studied.
• After vomiting, monitor the baby for one to two hours to determine if he has any symptoms of poisoning.
Do not induce vomiting before contacting a toxicology service. . Some substances may not necessarily be vomited, others may damage the lungs if inhaled, and further damage the esophagus mucosa during vomiting. Unless instructed otherwise by medical personnel, do not induce if the following substances have got into the digestive tract:
• Petroleum products: gasoline, kerosene, gasoline, turpentine,
• furniture or car polishes,
• strong corrosive substances such asalkalis, concentrated acids, means for cleaning sewage pipes( for dissolving blockages),
• detergents such as bleach, ammonia, etc.
Although it is not always necessary to induce vomiting in poisoningmedicines and poisonous plants, practically in all these cases, vomiting will not cause harm. If the poisoning is caused by substances that do not allow the possibility of calling up vomit, the rescuers will explain to you what antivenom to give. Usually it is a few glasses of water or a glass of milk.
Inhalation poisoning
Nail polish, nail polish remover, ornamental and technical varnishes, as well as acetone-containing hydrocarbon compounds can be toxic to the lungs, kidneys and brain of a developing child. To protect yourself and your child, use these substances in a well-ventilated area and in no case in the room where the child is. If the child has inhaled toxic fumes, immediately remove it to fresh air and look for a strong cough or lethargy that requires medical attention.
Eyes are extremely sensitive to irritation, but quickly heal. Young children are protected from the ingress of foreign substances and objects into the eyes, tightening their eyes tightly, and rubbing the eyes, which further aggravates irritation. To keep dirty fingers away from painful eyes, swaddle the child with a large towel, coverlet or sheets( see swaddling advice) before attempting to inspect or rinse the child's eyes.
How to rinse a child's eyes
It is best to wash the child's eyes to remove irritants, one holding the baby, the other pouring. Gently pull down the lower eyelid, asking the child to open his eyes as wide as possible, and water them with a soft, flowing stream of lukewarm water from the jug. Turn the child's head towards the injured eye so that the water flows across the eye and drains over the towel. Continue to rinse for at least fifteen minutes. If the child clamps the eyelids forcefully, pull the lower eyelid with the tip of the finger or put your index finger on the upper eyelid just below the eyebrow, and the second finger on the lower eyelid and gently open the eye.
After washing, call the hospital. Some corrosive substances can cause irritation of the cornea and lead to inflammation. For prevention, it may be necessary to put ointment with antibiotics in the eyes. Pain from scratching or irritation can last up to twenty-four hours. Give the child acetaminophen and take care of the eyes, which the doctor will advise you.
Introduction to the eyes of
medicines Eye medicines are available in two forms: ointments and drops. Drops are easier to apply, but they can be slightly burned if the eyes are inflamed. To administer the ointment with the baby you need to cope and fully control all of its movements so that it does not break out, as it is required to get very close to the eye.
To keep the baby, it still requires two people to remove children's pens from the road( or, if the medicine is injected by one person, you can roll the baby like a mummy into a diaper).If another pair of hands are available, ask that person to hold the child's head while you are holding his torso so that you do not have to aim at the moving target - as the child grows up, it becomes more difficult. With newborns, you can easily manage alone. Put the child on a soft surface - on a sofa, a bed, a carpet - where you can bend over it. Keep the medicine in your main hand and pull back the lower eyelid, so that it forms a pocket, into which you will drip drops or put ointment.