What to do if your child has a taste of toilet cleaner?

Martin Rupf

25.9.2022

Translation: machine translated

Everyone who has small children knows it: The constant fear that your child might put something poisonous in his or her mouth in a moment of carelessness. Here you can find out how to minimise the risk and how to react correctly if your child mistakes the toilet cleaner for a syrup.

The other day at our dinner table: we were just about to gorge ourselves on the freshly collected porcini and witch's red herrings when we paused for a moment. Yes, I had had the mushrooms checked. But what if the mushroom inspector accidentally missed a poisonous specimen?

In fact, it is not only mushroom season, but also mushroom poisoning season, as Alexander Jetter, senior physician and specialist in clinical pharmacology and toxicology, reveals. Four times a week he takes on a shift at Tox Info Suisse. "At the moment, reports of mushroom poisoning are piling up again for us. It is important and necessary to have all mushrooms collected examined by a mushroom inspector before eating them."

Over 20000 poisonings are reported in children every year

Poisonings are not only in season during the mushroom season, especially for parents of young children. My children are out of the woods as far as the risk of poisoning is concerned - let's leave aside the probably unavoidable binge drinking in a few years. But when they were toddlers, crawling all over the place indoors and outdoors, exploring the world with their first unsteady steps, it was a different story. I remember well how daughter or son would show up with their mouths and hands smeared red, and we parents could only say one thing with certainty. It certainly wasn't strawberries, raspberries or currants. But what then? Most parents of young children know this dormant fear in their subconscious that their child might ingest something toxic.

On the emergency number 145, doctors and experts are available around the clock to provide information and advice in cases of suspected poisoning. The phone at Tox Info Suisse rings about 40,000 times a year. A good half of the cases are children who have poisoned themselves or who are suspected of poisoning.

"The classic case, especially with small children, is trying poisonous plants or berries," says Alexander Jetter. As a rule, however, plants in small quantities typical for children are harmless.

"Many poisonings can also be traced back to household and cleaning products," says Jetter. Particularly tricky, according to Jetter, are medicines lying around, tobacco, but also cigarettes and also cigarette butts. "There's really only one thing to do here: lock them up, put them away and make them inaccessible to children." Drugs and alcohol, on the other hand, are less of an issue. "This is probably because drug use is less common among parents - especially not at home. And because alcohol doesn't taste good to children at all, dangerous levels of ingestion occur in the rarest of cases."

How you can minimise the risk of poisoning

On the website of Tox Info Suisse you can find the most important information to prevent poisoning in the first place. Senior physician Jetter also recommends going through your cleaning cupboard and your medicine cabinet from time to time and properly disposing of any medicines that are no longer used or have expired. According to Tox Info Suisse, the following points should also be remembered:

• Store chemicals and medicines in their original packaging; never decant them into drinking bottles or other containers, even if they are labelled accordingly.
• Do not take chemicals home from the workplace. Lock away chemicals and medicines out of reach of children.
• Follow instructions and hazard symbols. Look at label before use to avoid confusion

• Do not take medicines in front of children (risk of imitation).
• Cheat fossil fuel heaters regularly and ventilate well in case of open fires because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

If poisoning is suspected, do not make the child vomit

"Fortunately, life-threatening poisoning is very rare in children," says Alexander Jetter. If poisoning is suspected, Jetter strongly advises contacting Tox Info Suisse or the emergency doctor first. "With most substances, it is advisable to give the child water to drink," but this is not advisable with foaming substances such as detergents or cleaning agents. "This can cause additional foam to form, which in the worst case can be inhaled and enter the lungs," he said. On the other hand, it is always advisable to rinse out the mouth.

Many parents will probably try to make their child vomit in the first instance when they suspect poisoning. Alexander Jetter, however, advises against doing so: "Because toxic contents such as acids and alkalis come into contact with the oesophagus a second time in this way, which is something to be avoided."

Additionally, when vomiting, often only half - for example of a medicine that is toxic for the child - is excreted. "And as with foaming substances, there is also a danger with vomiting that some of it gets into the lungs, which can lead to pneumonia," Jetter explains.
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This is the best way to proceed in an emergency

My children can now tell a toilet cleaner from a milk bottle. But the issue of poisoning is still not completely off the table and is by no means limited to the children. A few months ago, for example, my wife - I had been cleaning the coffee machine - accidentally ingested diluted lime cleaner. We immediately called the 24-hour hotline of Tox Info Suisse. To our relief, the case turned out not to be particularly serious. Drink water and sit it out was the motto at the time.

On the website of Tox Info Suisse you will find more useful tips on how to behave in an emergency:

1. after ingestion (if the person is conscious)
Give water, tea or syrup one to two decilitres to drink. In the case of corrosive substances, as soon as possible up to a maximum of 30 minutes after ingestion. Only if prescribed by a doctor: administer activated charcoal or antifoaming medication.
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2. After inhalation of the toxic substance
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Provide fresh air. Take care in enclosed spaces, silos and pits as rescuers may be at risk. Try to reassure the patient.

3. After skin contact
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Remove contaminated clothing as soon as possible. Rinse affected skin extensively under running water. If skin is not burnt, clean thoroughly with soap and water.

4.4. After eye splashes.Rinse the eye immediately under running water for at least ten minutes; keep the eyelids well open. Tilt the affected person's head to the side of the injured eye to protect the unaffected eye. 5.5. In case of unconsciousness or respiratory and circulatory arrest.144 Alert (ambulance). If necessary, remove foreign bodies (dentures, tablet remnants, vomit) from mouth and throat. Loosen constricting clothing. If unconscious and breathing normally, lie on side.If unconscious and not breathing: Resuscitate according to current resuscitation guidelines.Alexander Jetter advises all parents of small children to keep activated charcoal suspension and Flatulex against foaming substances in the emergency pharmacy. "However, it is essential to administer these remedies only after consulting a doctor, as they can even have a counterproductive effect in some cases of poisoning", the senior physician warns in conclusion.Titelbild: Shutterstock

Martin Rupf

Senior Editor

martin.rupf@digitecgalaxus.ch

Half-Danish dad of two and third child of the family, mushroom picker, angler, dedicated public viewer and world champion of putting my foot in it.

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