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Medical Meanderings Childhood Emergencies
by Glenn W. Morgan, M.D.,
Philomath Family Medicine.
P.C.
(Editor's note: TIiIk Ih the
second of five cllp-andsave
articles on childhood emer
gencies.) More thun one million
polHoninKs occur In the U.S.
every year - 71 percent of
these are In children under
five. Fortunntely, the number
of deaths from these accidents
seems to be dccreettlng, This
is due to parents being better
Informed about the dangers,
childproof caps on containers,
.and better medical care
through poison control cen
ters. We still have a long way
to go, though.
What can parents do to 1 )
prevent poisonings In their
children; and 2) do the right
thing If their child Ingests
poison?
The first thing Is to under
stand what medicines and
chemiculs are most common
ly ingested by young children.
The obviouB answer is child
ren take whatever is around
them - medicines such as
aspirin, cold remedies and
vitamins. Chemicals In the
home are also taken, like
bleach, gasoline, lye, turpen
tine, Insecticides, perfume,
paint, moth bulls, nail polish
ond ammonia. These are used
daily and often left out within
easy reach of an exploring
toddler.
In small doses, the medi
cines may be helpful, but In
larger doses, they can cause
serious harm of even death.
For example, a 30-pound
two-year old need take only
nine adult aspirin to cause a
very serious, possibly fatal,
overdose. Newborn infunts
are even more sensitive to the
effects of chemiculB and
drugs. A two-week-old infant
died after receiving one baby
aspirin (I'm grain) every four
hours for three days for colic.
Ever wonder why you need a
prescription to get most anti
histamines or puln pills? That
same 30 pounder need only
down ten of a parent's 50 mg
Benadryl capsules to lie in
serious trouble. Likewise, only
three Darvon 65 mg tublets
would be a very dangerous
overdose for him.
Why do these things get
ingested by small children? 1)
They are left out in plain sight,
such as on a bathroom shelf.
2) They are kept in old bottles
lor cans instead of original
containers. 3) They are left in
unlocked cupboards. 4) the
safety lids are left off, or put
back on Improperly.
Children need to leurn to
respect drugs and other chem
icals. They should not be
bribed by being told medicine
is "candy". Parents who take
' medicines should do so in
private - kids are great
imitators. Potentially danger
ous chemicals should be kept
on shelves far out of children 's
reach, locked up if possible.
Medicine cabinets should be
regularly cleaned out - all
unused drugs should be
thrown away. They should
i also be locked. 75 percent of
II poisonings occur with
drugs or chemicals left out in
view. A full three fourths of all
poisonings could be prevented
simply by putting all house
hold products out of sight and
reach !
suspect your child took some
thing that might be harmful?
1) Call your" family physT
cian, local hospital or the
Oregon Poison Control Center
immediately. (This number is
1-800-452-7165, toll free. Write
it on or near yourphone now.)
2) Dilute the poison by
giving one or two glossfuls of
water, but not carbonated
liquids.
S) Induce vomiting if direct
ed ' UNLESS the child is
' unconscious, having fits, can't
sit or stand; or the poison was
a strong corrosive like lye, or
contained petroleum products
(gasoline, etc.) To induce
vomiting, give one tablespoon
of Ipecac followed by at least
one cup of water. Give less
Ipecac if the child is under one
year old. This can be repeated
after tventiniitesLf it
"doeinT work, but no more
after that. Don't waste time
waiting for vomiting to occur.
Hop in the car and bring the
child to the nearest emer
gency room with two things.
First, brlna a container for the
child to vomit into, and save
this for the doctor to check.
Second. BRING THE PILLS,
BOTTLE, ETC. THAT THE
CHILD TOOK, with the label
intact. If it was pills, try to
find out how many were
missing before the ingestion
occured.
Sometimes petroleum pro
ducts such as antifreeze and
benzene can be harmful if
spilled on the skin, so always
change the child's clothes and
wash off the skin thoroughly in
these cases before coming to
the hospital.
Poisonings are frightening
to any parent, but with care.
and forethought, most can be
prevented. If a poisoning does
happen you will feel much
better knowing what to do. If
you don't have Ipecac at home
get some today at any
drugstore.
The next two articles in this
scries will deal with injuries
and nosebleeds, and the final
one will be that -- a final exam
to see how much you learned.
Rev. Miller to be
nt All Saints Sun.
This Suday, Jan. 25, the '
Rev. Eugene Miller will be at
AH Saints' Episcopal Church
in Heppner to celebrate Holy
Eucharist at 10:30 a.m.
Qisi nam. missm Bmt
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