Poisoning a significant threat to children

Do not induce vomiting in childhood poisoning

10/17/2011

Accidental poisoning of toddlers in the home is not uncommon. By taking corrosive or toxic substances such as pipe cleaners, barbecue lighters, detergents or detergents, numerous children suffer severe poisoning each year. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) therefore publishes in its now also published in Turkish brochure „Risk of poisoning in children“ important assistance to avoid such poisoning and to react properly in case of emergency.

Toddlers repeatedly draw heavy poisonings from dishwashing detergents, drain cleaners, grill lighters or similar liquids. Like the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment in its brochure „Risk of poisoning in children“ warns, however, the affected children may not simply be brought to vomit in order to remove the poison as quickly as possible from the organism. Under certain circumstances, such immediate measures may threaten „serious health consequences“, so the statement of the BfR.

According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, poisoning accidents in children in any case „professionally assessed and treated individually depending on the dose.“ Although rapid action in a poisoning of the child is urgently needed, but interventions such as the triggering of the nausea, according to the experts urgently to do without. If a child accidentally consumes corrosive or toxic substances, the affected person should immediately remove the remains from the mouth, as shown in the BfR brochure. In addition, the emergency services (emergency call 112) should be alerted and the children, for example, should drink tea, water or juice as soon as possible in the case of poisoning by drain cleaners, explain the experts of the BfR.

Brochure on the risk of poisoning in children
After the last year at the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, a particularly severe chemical burn of a just under three years old Turkish girl was reported that accidentally „from Turkey imported nitric acid-containing detergent had drunk“, BfR decided to publish its brochure „Risk of poisoning in children“ also translate into Turkish. This brochure has now been published in cooperation with the Giftnotruf Berlin and the Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft „More safety for children“ Completed and is now available at the BfR on the press office in Berlin, (Telephone: 030/184 12 48 77, Fax: 030/184 12 49 70, e-mail:) in both German and Turkish. Among other things, the brochure explains what parents should do first in the event of their child being threatened with poisoning, as well as how toxic substances should best be kept so that they do not even fall into the hands of the children.

In addition, the telephone numbers of the German poison information centers and other emergency numbers as well „Leaflets for dealing with poisoning in children“ contain. Thus, the unfortunate poisoning of the little Turkish girl has sadly achieved a far-reaching effect. Because it was not only the occasion for the translation of the BfR brochure, but has also led according to BfR that the Federal Institute together with „the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) and the responsible ministries an EU-wide ban on nitric acid in consumer products“ enforced.

Numerous poisonings would be avoidable
The brochure of the BfR takes into account various forms of poisoning, such as chemical products, toys, medicines, plants and fungi. However, according to the BfR experts, the vast majority of poisoning accidents in Germany would be avoidable, „provided parents, other relatives, childminders, educators, teachers are adequately informed about the risks.“ Should still be poisoned, „the triggering product must be ensured“, As the information on the packaging can give the rescuers valuable information on the treatment, the BfR continues. In the case of plants and fungi, according to the experts, a photo may also be helpful to rescue teams. However, according to BfR, unreasonable relief measures such as the initially mentioned triggering of the nausea in the affected children or the administration of milk as an alleged antidote are urgently to be avoided. (Fp)

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Picture: Rita Köhler