A poison is any substance (a solid, liquid, or a gas) which can cause damage if it enters the body in sufficient quantities.  It can be swallowed, breathed in, absorbed through the skin or injected.  Substances such as prescription or non-prescription drugs, household cleaning and DIY products and some plants and fungi can be harmful if you swallow them.  

Some poisons cause an all over reaction and can result in seizures, blurred vision, acute anaphylaxis and can be fatal – be cautious and always get the child quickly seen by a medical professional.

What to look for
If you think a child may have swallowed poison, these are the five key things to look for:

1. Nausea and vomiting (sometimes blood-stained) and later diarrhoea
2. Cramping stomach pains
3. Pain or a burning sensation
4. Partial loss of responsiveness
5. Seizures

What you need to do 
1. If the child is responsive ask them what they have taken, when they took it and how much they took.  Look for clues - for example poisonous plants, berries or empty containers. The emergency services will want to know this information. When you go to hospital, take the packaging and the remains of anything you think they have swallowed as this will help the doctors to treat them in the best way possible.
Tip : If a child has swallowed a berry from a plant – take a photo of the plant and a leaf as well to show to the doctors

2. Call 112 as soon as possible.  If you can’t call 112, get someone else to do it. The substance could be extremely harmful and the person may need urgent medical attention.

3. Do not make the person sick!  By making them sick, you can cause further damage to their throat or block their airway.  But, if they vomit naturally then put some of their vomit into a bag or container and give it to the ambulance crew. This may help them identify the poison.

4. If the casualty's lips are burnt by corrosive substances, ideally get them to swill milk or water around their mouth and spit it out and then give them small sips of milk or water to dilute the product down their throat.

5. If the casualty becomes unresponsive and stops breathing, you will need to resuscitate them by giving them breaths followed by chest compressions.   

If the casualty is contaminated with chemicals remember to protect yourself and wear protective gloves, goggles and/or a mask.  If they have become unresponsive and stopped breathing after eating something corrosive – protect yourself if doing mouth to mouth resuscitation.  This can be done with a pocket mask or plastic bag with a hole in it – cover the mouth with the bag and breath through the hole in the bag into the nose – thereby protecting yourself and ensuring that you are not burnt as well.

​For all urgent questions about poisoning in Belgium you can call  the:

Antigif Centrum/Centre Antipoisons

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Suspected poisoning is one of the most common reasons for young children to be taken to A&E.

Did you know…?

• Child-resistant tops and strip and blister packs for tablets help to slow children down but they are not childproof. Some 3-4 year olds can open them in seconds!

 

• Swallowing medicines, like everyday painkillers that you might keep in your handbag or bedside cabinet, is the most common way for children to be poisoned.

 

• The detergent capsules and concentrated liquids under the kitchen sink can harm children too – they can cause accidental poisoning but also squirt into the eyes and cause damage. The capsules come in boxes that aren’t child-resistant.

Safety reminders – how to prevent children from being poisoned

First steps
At around 6 months babies start to put things in their mouths, which means they are at risk of swallowing something harmful. You can stop them from getting hold of poisonous things.

The best place to keep medicines is locked away or up high where your baby can’t come across them. Fit safety catches on any low cupboard doors and drawers and make sure bottle tops and lids are on properly.

Don’t forget the painkillers in your handbag on the floor or the ones on the bedside table.

Before your baby starts to crawl and move around, move the cleaning products from around the toilet or under the kitchen sink into a high cupboard out of sight.

Look out for products that contain a bittering agent like Bitrex. It tastes so horrible it means that children are much more likely to spit the dangerous chemical out.

Remember, the newer liquid detergent capsules can be dangerous too - if children squeeze or bite them the liquid can squirt out. Keep them stored safely away.

Toddlers
Toddlers love to explore and will copy what you do. This means they are more at risk from poisoning than any other age group. Here’s how to make sure your toddler stays safe from poisoning. 

Keeping your medicines and cleaning things locked up or out of reach and sight is the safest way to protect your toddler. Ideally put them in a high lockable cupboard. It’s best to keep them in a room which people use a lot. That means if your child has climbed up on a chair or worktop and is exploring in cupboards they are more likely to be seen by an adult or brother or sister.

'Child resistant' caps are not 'child-proof'. Some 3-4 year olds can open them in seconds, so make sure they're locked away too.

Toddlers like to copy what you do. Try to take your medicine when your toddler isn’t watching.

Avoid pretending your child’s medicine is a sweet, even if it’s hard to get them to take it. It can be confusing for your toddler.

When you’re visiting friends or relatives, take a few moments to look out for medicines or cleaning products lying around, like in Granny’s bedside table, so you’re not taken by surprise.

Even small amounts of alcohol can be harmful to small children, so clear up any glasses with alcohol dregs left in them.

Remember to be careful with aromatherapy oils, perfumes and cigarettes too as they can all be harmful to small children.

Young children
Children between 3 to 5 may know something about what they can safely eat, but they are still at risk from accidental poisoning. They are much more likely to be able to open child-resistant tops too. 

Your child may easily be confused by colourful medicines that look like sweets. So keep them locked safely away and in the original bottles.

Do the same with cleaning products, DIY or garden chemicals, whether they are kept in the house or the garden shed.

Plants in the garden can be confusing too. Teach your child not to eat anything they pick outside. Poisonous berries can easily look like the ones they have in their pudding!

Carbon Monoxide 
You can't see, smell or taste it but if but if carbon monoxide creeps out from flame burning appliances it can kill children in seconds. 
Make sure that you have an audible carbon monoxide alarm fitted in your home – ideally one in every room with a fuel-burning appliance.  Available from GAMMA and Brico they are not so expensive...

Medicine use and storage: specific tips

If your child or another family member needs to take medicine, there are some simple things you can do to minimise the risk of accidental poisoning or overdose:

• Read the label, dosage and instructions carefully when your child needs to take medicine. Double-check everything before you give your child the medicine. If you’re not sure about how much to give or for how long, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

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• Avoid distractions when giving your child medicines. If possible, have a normal routine for giving or taking medicines. And always supervise your child while she’s taking medicine.

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• Set up a ‘checking system’ with your child’s other caregivers to avoid giving your child double doses of medicine.

 

• Ask your pharmacist to put child-resistant caps on your medicines if they’re not already on the bottle. Make sure you always put the caps back on the bottles immediately and correctly after use.

 

• Clean out your medicine cupboard regularly. Get rid of unwanted and out-of-date medicines and other poisons. You can return unwanted medicines to your local pharmacist for safe disposal.

 

• Rinse empty medicine containers with water before you throw them out.

 

• Refer to medicines by their proper names, rather than calling them ‘special lollies’.

It’s also a good idea to be careful when friends come to visit. For example, make sure their bags are out of your child’s reach, because the bags might contain medicines.
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Adapted from the Child Accident Prevention Trust website at https://www.capt.org.uk/poisoning-prevention by Kate Ellwood First Aid Instructor and Assessor (July 2019)
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​LifeFirst provides this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. LifeFirst is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken based on this information. It is strongly advised that you attend a First Aid course to understand what to do in a medical emergency.

When is the recovery position advised?
The recovery position is essential when a casualty is unconscious and breathing normally. It is a sensible way of positioning someone to allow the tongue to flop forward and any fluids to drain out, ensuring they do not enter the airway. If the casualty stops breathing normally at any time, or demonstrates agonal breathing, you should start CPR.
Professor Keith Porter (Professor of Clinical Traumatology) has developed a further option that makes it easier for one person to roll someone into the recovery position with minimal movement of their spine.

The recovery postion with a spinal injury
NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) estimate that approximately 700 people sustain a new spinal cord injury each year in the UK.  In the UK there are currently 40,000 people living with long term disabilities as a result of such injuries.

Helping the casualty to maintain a clear airway is critical and takes priority over any suspected spinal injury, as if their airway is blocked they are unable to breathe. Therefore, to maintain an open airway, anyone who is unconscious and breathing, should be rolled onto their side into the recovery position. Spinal injuries can be unstable and it is vital that in moving the casualty, you don’t cause further damage to the spinal cord.  If there are multiple people able to assist, then supporting the head and neck, and log rolling the casualty may be a better approach to minimise movement to their spine. However, if you are on your own, Professor Porter’s alternative approach is simple and effective. 

It is incredibly important to keep the spine in line and avoid them twisting. It is vital to keep checking the casualty is breathing.

Benefits of the new recovery position for suspected spinal injuries:

1. Reduces risk of movement to spine and inducing paralysis
2. Easier for a solo first aider to perform

How to do it:
Check out this film from First Aid For Life:
​youtu.be/-fbLFE4X3gE

World First Aid Day was introduced by the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement in 2000. It is a global opportunity to raise public awareness of how first aid can save lives in everyday and crisis situations.  In recognition of this day here are:

10 Powerful Reasons To Learn First Aid

1 – First aid saves lives
Basic first aid can mean the difference between life and death. A Red Cross survey showed a staggering 59% of deaths from injuries would have been preventable had first aid been given before the emergency services arrived.

2 – First aid can speed your recovery
First aid can have a huge impact on someone’s chances of recovery, and can mean the difference between them having a short term or more permanent disability.

3 – First aid reduces time in hospital
Early intervention with first aid can reduce the length of time the patient needs to stays in hospital.

4 – First aid prevents medical situations deteriorating
Knowing the basics of first aid can prevent a bad situation from getting worse. Consider a patient who is bleeding from a deep cut. Without intervention, the patient could suffer severe blood loss. By applying pressure using simple first aid techniques, you can prevent a medical emergency from rapidly deteriorating and stabilise the patient until further medical help arrives.

5 – First aid can reduce unnecessary visits to hospital
Not every accident ends up in hospital but still needs medical attention. Some injuries such as a bumped head, bruised knee or sprained ankle can be managed at home with basic first aid. First aid training also teaches you to prioritise injuries, giving the most seriously injured or ill the very best chance. As well as equipping you with the knowledge to establish whether someone needs further care and whether that care should be given by the GP, at a hospital or needs immediate paramedic intervention.

6 – Competent first aid can often reduce the amount of pain experienced by casualties
Knowing how to respond helps you stay calm in an emergency situation. Staying calm allows you to provide emotional support to the patient and help prevent them from panicking – which can often be a very effective form of pain relief. In addition, knowing how to physically move someone in pain, support their injuries and administer appropriate bandaging and dressings can also greatly reduce the amount of pain they experience.

7 – Crucial communication for the emergency services
Staying with the patient until the emergency services arrive to take over means you can convey vital information about how the patient sustained the injury or information about their condition. This information is vital to the emergency services for the effective treatment of the patient and can also aid the patient’s treatment and recovery.

8 – First aid increases awareness and reduces your susceptibility to accidents
Learning first aid and becoming alert to potential hazards and medical issues increases our health awareness and allows us to take better care of ourselves, our friends and families. It creates resilient communities and relieves pressure on healthcare services.

9 – First aid makes you feel empowered
Learning first aid will give you the confidence to act appropriately when an accident occurs. It is vitally important to deal with any life-saving injuries before reaching for the phone to call for an ambulance.
It is also very useful to know when and if to move someone following an accident and when they should be kept still.

10 – Be prepared for anything
None of us know what the future has in store for us or for our loved ones. Sudden illness such as heart attack, stroke, severe bleeding and breathing difficulties require immediate attention, which after a course, you will be well equipped to provide. First aid also equips you to deal with bleeding, burns, breathlessness, bites, shocks stings, splints and fainting so whatever medical situation life throws at you, you can respond effectively.

Adapted from a post written by Emma Hammett First Aid for Life. 11/09/2019