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Poisoning - First Aid and Emergency Treatment Guide

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Overview

  • Poisons are substances that cause injury, illness or death
  • These events are caused by a chemical activity in the cells 
  • Poisons can be injected, inhaled or swallowed 
  • Poisoning should be suspected if a person is sick for unknown reason
  • Poor ventilation can aggravate Inhalation poisoning 
  • First aid is critical in saving the life of victims 

Causes

  • Medications 
  • Drug overdose 
  • Occupational exposure 
  • Cleaning detergents/paints 
  • Carbon mono oxide gas from furnace, heaters 
  • Insecticides 
  • Certain cosmetics 
  • Certain household plants, animals 
  • Food poisoning (Botulism) 

Symptoms

  • Blue lips 
  • Skin Rashes 
  • Difficulty in breathing 
  • Diarrhea 
  • Vomiting/Nausea
  • Fever 
  • Headache
  • Giddiness/drowsiness 
  • Double vision 
  • Abdominal/chest pain 
  • Palpitations/Irritability 
  • Loss of appetite/bladder control 
  • Numbness 
  • Muscle twitching 
  • Seizures
  • Weakness 
  • Loss of consciousness 
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Treatment

  • Seek immediate medical help

Meanwhile,

  • Try and identify the poison if possible 
  • Check for signs like burns around mouth, breathing difficulty or vomiting 
  • Induce vomiting if poison swallowed
  • In case of convulsions, protect the person from self injury
  • If the vomit falls on the skin, wash it thoroughly 
  • Position the victim on the left till medical help arrives 

For inhalation poisoning

  • Seek immediate emergency help 
  • Get help before you attempt to rescue others 
  • Hold a wet cloth to cover your nose and mouth 
  • Open all the doors and windows 
  • Take deep breaths before you begin the rescue 
  • Avoid lighting a match 
  • Check the patient's breathing 
  • Do a CPR, if necessary 
  • If the patient vomits, take steps to prevent choking 
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Steps to Avoid

  • Avoid giving an unconscious victim anything orally 
  • Do not induce vomiting unless told by a medical personnel 
  • Do not give any medication to the victim unless directed by a doctor 
  • Do not neutralize the poison with limejuice/honey

Prevention

  • Store medicines, cleaning detergents, mosquito repellants and paints carefully 
  • Keep all potentially poisonous substances out of children's reach 
  • Label the poisons in your house 
  • Avoid keeping poisonous plants in or around house 
  • Take care while eating products such as berries, roots or mushrooms
  • Teach children the need to exercise caution 
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