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Guidance

Poisoning occurs when someone is sufficiently exposed to a substance that can cause illness, injury or death.

Common sources of poisoning include over-the-counter and prescription medicines, cleaning products, pesticides, and animal bites or stings.T

Symptoms

Some symptoms include:

– Painful, red itching or blistering skin

– Excessive sweating

– Nausea and vomiting

– Drooling

– Difficulty breathing

– Numbness, tingling and twitching of the mouth and tongue

– Stomach or throat pain

– Burns in the mouth or throat

Treatment

For swallowed poison

Do NOT induce vomiting. It doesn’t reliably remove poisons from the body and can cause more harm.

Pick up the bottle or packet.

Call a Poisons Information Centre or emergency services.

For inhaled poison

Move the person to fresh air quickly, if it’s safe to do so.

Open doors and windows wide, if it’s safe to do so.

Call a Poisons Information Centre or emergency services

For skin exposure to poison

Remove any affected clothes.

Don’t touch the chemical or exposed area yourself.

Flood the skin with cool running water for 15 minutes, then wash with soap and water.

Call a Poisons Information Centre or emergency services

For eye exposure to poison

Hold eyelids open and flood with tap water from a cup, jug or from a slowly running tap for 10 – 15 minutes.

Call a Poisons Information Centre or emergency services

Call emergency services immediately if someone stops breathing, slips into a coma, has a seizure (fit) or a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).

If the person becomes unconscious, follow the Basic Life Support Action Plan DRSABCD.