What To Do If Your Child Has Been Poisoned

If your child is not breathing properly or having trouble breathing, if he/she is unconscious or not alert, has collapsed, is having seizures or poison has splashed on the face or eyes, call 911 immediately. If your child does not have these symptoms, call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at (800) 222-1222.  They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They have professionals such as toxicologists, nurses, and pharmacists available to rapidly answer your questions and tell you what to do next.  Don’t wait until your child feels sick. You are most welcome to call our office, but in this case, the recommendation is to first call the Poison Control Center directly.  You can contact us later.

In the event that the poison is very dangerous, or if you have a very young child, you may be told to take your child to the nearest hospital. If your child is not in danger, the Poison Help staff will guide you on what to do to help your child at home.

Preparing for a poisoning emergency

Be prepared. Save the AAPCC number in your cell phone. Be sure that babysitters and caregivers have this number.  Hopefully, you’ll never need it, but it’s nice to have just in case.

When you call the Poison Control hotline, you should be able to provide the following information:

• Childs approximate weight.
• Any medical conditions they may have.
• Any medications they’re taking.
• As much information about the substance they swallowed or was exposed as you can provide.

If you have any other questions, contact the office of  SuraMed Health Center:

West Palm Beach Office 561-275-7100

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