S/O Have you ever called Poison Control?

[ilfaith]

The accidental medication dosing thread got me wondering how many of us have had to call poison control.

I did once. When DS1 was about 4 he got into his jar of Gummy Vitamins (I apparently hadn't closed the lid properly and left it on the counter. The jar was nearly empty, but DS probably consumed 12-15 vitamins (proper dose being 2). I called PC and they said he should be fine. But I haven't bought Gummy Vitamins for the boys since then. The chewable ones aren't as tempting.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Yes. When ds1 was 18mo he ate some mascara. It was fine, nothing I needed to do

Beth

[AnnieW625]

No I haven't and I probably wouldn't for that kind of thing or the medicine thing. DD1 who knows how to get child proof caps off (:shake::eek:) drank almost and entire bottle of Emetrol (stops throwing up....awesome stuff!) a couple of weeks ago and she was fine. I honestly had no idea she had done it until a few hours after it probably happened, when I noticed that the bottle was almost empty (it had been used twice prior). She got scolded for that one, but I didn't call PC. Now had she gotten into something like ant stakes or drank rubbing alcohol yeah I would've called. Thankfully DH and I don't need RX meds.

[Twoboos]

Yep, just once. ;)

[HIU8]

Yes, a few years ago when DH gave DS a double dose of an antibiotic. Then again last week when DH gave DD a double dose of claritin (I thought it would be fine but wanted to doublecheck). Do you see a pattern with DH here. He rarely dose meds for the kids and this is why. He is a lousy label reader (even for himself).

[KpbS]

Yes one time ds2 grabbed the blue bottle of oxyclean stain remover and squirted some I his mouth. I was nervous but he was totally fine.

[Snow mom]

Yes, DD ate a lantana flower when she was pretty little (maybe a year?) I know lantana is "poisonous" so we called. Turns out the berries are the biggest concern and even then a baby would have to eat quite a bit. I think poison control is awesome.

[logan's mom]

I have. DS at 20 months decided he needed a Zofran too!

[Melaine]

Yes. Bizarre incident where DD ate part of the metallic looking stuff off a CD. Yuck. She was fine.

[infocrazy]

Yes, three times, all for DS2!

8 months old at Grandma's house, he ate some rock salt by the door.
19 months old, home with DH, tried to eat a plastic snow globe ornament, it broke but fortunately not in his mouth, DH was afraid he got some of the liquid in his mouth.
2.5, put a paint pen in his mouth at Michael's. It had a big warning on it--nice...

Each time it was never a big deal.

[soon2b4]

Yes - for extra dose of Benadryl. They kept questioning me as to whether I was trying to get her to sleep as if I were just trying to get her out of the way. (She was really sick and I was following doctor's suggestion.) Made me feel like they thought my mistake was on purpose. Would think twice before calling now:irked:.

[Puddy73]

I think poison control is awesome.

:yeahthat: I have had to call twice and both times they were so non-judgmental and nice. When DD1 was a toddler she got a bottle of Windex off the counter and poured it on herself but I wasn't sure if she had tasted it, too. I also had to call when DS ate some gummy vitamins that were in a travel bag in a suitcase. Both kids were fine.

[JTsMom]

3 times, and I'm planning on putting them on speed dial for Zach. 1st time was for J- eye makeup remover that I don't even think got into his mouth- supposedly it's mostly water with a drop of soap. Now

Zach- that kid is making me a nervous wreck! He is totally out of control, and while you're taking the first thing off of him, he's already into the second! He will eat ANYTHING. I can't even take him outside and let him sit in his car b/c I can't get him to quit eating dirt.

The first call for him, he spilled some (non-toxic, but still) paint in his mouth, and the second time it was watered down shampoo- fine both times. The operators were great all 3 times.

[o_mom]

Yep - about five times here - two were probably 'over-reactions' of a FTM, but three of them were potentially dangerous (Rx meds that a visitor left accessible and open, and tylenol twice).

[MommyAllison]

3 times for DD. Once she ate part of a berry off an unidentified bush while on a walk, once she swallowed some fluoride toothpaste, and once for eating snow w/ice melt mixed in it. All 3 times she was fine.

Once for DS - right before he turned 1 he found a packet of silica gel and ate some of it. He was fine. :)

I :heartbeat: poison control. The second & third occasions with DD I hesitated about calling, because I was pretty sure it was not going to be a problem, but called just in case. They are always great though, so reassuring and like a PP said, non-judgemental - they don't make me feel like it's a stupid question, kwim? The last time with DD I apologized and they quickly stopped me and said they'd always rather someone call, even if it's very minor.

[wellyes]

DD ate soap, I called, she very nicely calmed me down. Felt silly afterwards. But the bottle SAID to call if ingested!

[robinsmommy]

Yep, several times

DD1 grabbed a bar of felts-naptha soap and had it in her mouth in a millisecond. Gave her milk and she was fine.

DD1 also sampled some toothpaste. Not enough to be a worry.

And today, after I found nightshade berries in the frozen peas - after we'd eaten 2/3 of the bag...... :47:(everybody is ok, but as a PSA, do keep an eye on frozen peas - second time in my life I've found them - the processing equip can't tell the difference, they are very like peas).


They have been super helpful for us.

[kdeunc]

Yes, twice. DS1 decided to eat fish food when he was about 2. That stuff smells so gross I can't figure out why you would want to taste it but he was did and was fine.

When DS2 was about 2 he found a bottle of infant tylenol that he managed to get the bulb part of the syringe dislodged. He was covered in tylenol and we were not sure how much if any he might have ingested. I felt pretty sure he didn't get much since it took a small miracle to get tylenol in him when I needed to! He was also fine.

Both operators were very nice and helpful.

Thankfully DD has made it through most of her 2nd year with no phone call yet! :)

[lalasmama]

Twice.

Once, DNeice decided to sample the cat's wet food... and we had just opened the dewormer pill on the food.

Second time, the doctor I was working for asked me to call. We had a kiddo that *may* have tried some slug bait. The mom found the child holding the open box, and I think some was sprinkled around the toddler. So, we called.

[new_mommy25]

Once. DD ate one of those silica gel packages that was in a package of seasoned seaweed. They told me they weren't toxic and not to worry.

[bisous]

Once. My childless sister left her synthroid open and at small child level in her room while we were both visiting my mom! We couldn't be sure whether DS had consumed them but he spent some time in the room and I called just to be sure. For the record, synthroid is NOT something that can terribly harm a child! :)

[clc053103]

Yes, at 18 months ds opened child resistant Advil and benadryl and may have drank some before dumping it around his room. They said no worries, even if he drank the whole bottle.

[hillview]

Once for DS2.

ETA he is also the kid who has had stitches 2 times. DS1 none.

[trales]

I don't see very well and I mistook a jar of anti fungal cream for toothpaste. Once I tasted it and put my glasses on I knew the difference. The folks at poison control were great.

Another time when I was cleaning an outboard engine on the sailboat and ended up with a lot of gasoline squirting into my mouth eyes and nose. I now wear goggles and a mask when I work on the engine.

[billysmommy]

Yes with Ds2.

We had to call after he decided it would be a good idea to play with some of the ant traps we had behind the bathroom cupboard (how he got to them we have NO idea) and got the stuff all over his hands and was then licking them and the skin around his mouth was all red. We learned that he would have to basically drink 5-6 of them for it to be harmful but that it may bother his stomach a little so have him eat some bread.

[bisous]

Isn't it amazing how many things we've discovered AREN'T that poisonous? And how comparatively scary some things we DO administer (Tylenol!) are?

[ThreeofUs]

Yup. But I completely forget why. I think DH was home alone and panicked about something, and I told him if he was worried to make the call.

[zoestargrove]

nightshade berries in your peas??? How would I know. I've never heard of that.

I called once when ds2 ate a bloated tick that fell off our dog thinking it was a raisin. They were super nice and assured me the stomach acids would render it harmless.

[Dr C]

We call for patients all the time. They are THE BEST source for accurate information about ingestions. When I worked in an ED we called them all the time.

I have only called once for my family--and it was the veterinary poison control (did you know that there such a thing?) when my dog ate rat poison. We had to induce vomiting and I have NEVER seen so much puke. But he's healthy and strong 10 years later.

I do want to put in a plug for calling if in doubt--many non-prescription meds can be quite dangerous in overdose. Prenatal vitamins, iron supplements (which luckily taste nasty), and tylenol (which tastes REALLY good to some kids) are examples that come to mind.

[Twoboos]

nightshade berries in your peas??? How would I know. I've never heard of that.


Um, I do not know what a nightshade berry is, and we eat frozen peas all the time. Apparently I'll be Googling now.

And a PSA for everyone who has not yet called Poison Control:

The number IS 1800-222-1222.

The number is NOT, I repeat, NOT 1800-222-1212. Nope. Not the one. :duh:

[lfp2n]

Yes my mum sprayed Raid Yard Guard or whatever that outdoor space insect control is all over her legs and arms, as she thought it was Off. On the can it says avoid contact with skin!! PC advised a shower with soap and to watch out for all these symptoms which my mum instantly thought she had- it all ended up OK.

[ladysoapmaker]

Yep, DD#2 got into the chewable vitamins. Luckily it was only 2 and they said not to worry. it was the weekend and the doctor office took several hours to call back so while we were waiting we called them.

DH dealt with them and said they were so calm and clear about things.

Jen

[jenfromnj]

Haven't called (yet, knock wood!) for DS, but I did call the pet version when our dog ate an entire chocolate bar. Turns out a 60 lb dog would have to eat several pounds of chocolate to even have an issue. Unlike human PC, they make you give your credit card info straightaway!

[mctlaw]

WTH are nightshade berries and why would they get mixed in with commercialy grown peas?

I called animal poison control once when DD chewed into a bottle of pain medds from a minor surgery of DH. All was well, though.

[bubbaray]

Once for DD#1 (DH gave wrong dose of a cold med). Once or more for the stupid dog.

[khalloc]

Once, when my black lab ate an entire bottle of fish-oil capsules. They were on the counter because I gave them to him 1x a day with his meals. He was fine...

[robinsmommy]

Yeah, they are the same size, perhaps a bit more yellow-y green, a bit more translucent compared to a pea, have a little "cap" on them with a stem,the cap has little parts that come down around the berry - sometimes those "wings" on the cap also turn upwards. If you squeeze them, there are seeds inside that will come out, instead of the two parts of the pea.

Here is a decent picture:

http://beautiful-in-its-time.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html

The green ones are the worst for you. They said a couple won't kill most kids (To be accurate, they said that most kids can "handle" a couple, but I don't wish to make them sound like anything that is ok to eat, they are TOXIC), but boy, makes me eager for my peas to grow so we can eat them. I'd rather not eat ANY.

I guess it was a big issue awhile back in New Zealand, and is not that uncommon of a problem.

ETA: - they get mixed in with the peas in the fields, where they are a common weed, and the processing machinery can't tell the difference. I learned about then when I was in an organic WOOF CSA program (I miss it so much, it was freakin' awesome - one person for childcare, one person for cooking, and everybody else worked in the fields 'til lunchtime and talked as we worked, snack and lunch and CSA included). I flipped when the farm manager told me those tomato-y looking plants were nightshade and I recognized the things I'd pulled out of DD1's peas when she was a toddler. Ick. So I knew what they were this time around.