You better watch out
My phone rings and my nephew asks what would be a first-aid measure. His 11-month-old son had ingested glitter from a toy he was playing with. As blandly as possible, I told him to observe and wait for his son to glow. Knowing me quite well, he caught on and said in a light but relieved voice, “Nice one Ninang!”
As I was about to leave the surgical intensive care unit, a nurse ran after me and relayed that his youngest son had accidentally ingested silica gel from a bottle of medicine the day before. There seemed to be no untoward effects as there was no change in his appetite and was his usual playful self. His wife has since been berating herself for being less than vigilant.
“Doctor, my daughter’s breath smells bad and it’s a little weird that it seems to be coming from her nose. I looked at her mouth and teeth and they seem to be okay.” I advised her to see an ear, nose, throat specialist. True enough, the rounded tip of a cotton bud was extracted from the roof of one nostril. A colleague on hearing the story recalled a similar experience when her then 3-year-old son, enamored with “Mr. Bean,” inserted tissue paper into his nasal passages. Luckily he was able to sneeze them out.
A child was rushed to the ER for accidental ingestion of kerosene. Wondering how could that be possible: we learned that the kerosene was stored in a used soda bottle.
A parent calls because he gave twice the dose of the vitamin supplement.
For parents who have had similar experiences, these situations can be very alarming. For physicians, they can be particularly challenging, especially in cases where the exposure was unwitnessed. Additionally, the signs and symptoms are nonspecific and can vary depending on the route of exposure. While ingestion is the most common route, dangerous or toxic chemicals can also be encountered through inhalation or absorption through the skin.
Accidental exposures, categorized as unintentional injuries, predominantly involve children under 5 years old, who are often in a curious, exploratory stage. The substances ingested are not always poisonous; they frequently include items that can easily be accessed, such as cosmetics, toys, and personal care products. The five scenarios presented illustrate that these exposures mainly occur at home, emphasizing the importance of child-proofing the environment.
What to do?
In any emergency, difficult as it may be, we need to stay clearheaded and calm. Call the hotline of the National Poison Management and Control Center and bring your child to the nearest health facility.
If accidental ingestion occurs, do not force the child to vomit, as the substance may be caustic and could cause further harm. If the child is old enough, instruct them to spit it out. If a foreign object can be easily removed, do so with care. If it is a prescription medicine that was swallowed, bring the bottle or blister pack for evidence. If witnessed, it is important that you not only provide information of what and how much was ingested, but also the signs and symptoms observed, the time it took before you brought the child for consult, and other medications which your child may be taking.
In cases of inhalation exposure, move the child to an area with fresh air.
While accidents may be preventable, in reality, some are unavoidable. No one can claim to have it all together, every time. While some may take pride in his or her ability to multitask, being distracted can cause missteps which can be costly.
As a review, here are some reminders on how to be more proactive in keeping our children safe.
First, ensure that medicines and other harmful substances are kept out of children’s reach. If possible, lock them away. Always store these items in their original containers to avoid confusion and prevent them from being mistaken for food or drink. Keep food and cleaning products stored separately. A neat freak friend of mine took it two steps further and advised color coding with bright stickers so you can spot them from afar and do a regular inventory. As simple as it may sound, make sure that lids are tightly screwed on or capped. For medications, read the labels carefully to avoid dosage errors.
Second, never leave your children unattended. They have limited knowledge and awareness of what can be dangerous. If you need to rely on someone else to care for them, make sure to provide specific instructions to that person. Keep important phone numbers easily accessible and on speed dial. Quick action and immediate intervention can help prevent complications and may ultimately save lives.
—————-
timmygimenez@gmail.com
