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 Common Medication Poisons:

South Carolina Poison Control Center 1-800-922-1117

What are the common medication poisons?

Almost any medication taken in excess can lead to poisoning. This is especially true for children for whom adult doses can be deadly. Essentially, all medications should be kept out of your child's reach. If your child has swallowed anything that may be suspect, call the poison control center now.

Keep in mind that most poisonings occur because of a child's innate curiosity of pleasant looking, smelling, and tasting objects as well as the child's desire to imitate adults. Never store medications in containers that may be mistaken for something harmless.

THE BEST TREATMENT FOR POISONING IS PREVENTION! The following is a list of common medication poisons and their side effects.

Aspirin

  • By itself or in other cold preparations or medications aspirin is one of the most common medication poisons in most age groups. Fruit-flavored aspirin in particular is commonly mistaken for candy and eaten in excess. Aspirin poisoning may cause deep breathing, nausea, vomiting, excessive activity, and occasionally death.

    • Acetaminophen (Tylenol®, Tempra®, Panadol®)

  • An aspirin substitute that can lead to poisoning for similar reasons as aspirin. Acetaminophen overdose can lead to nausea, vomiting, liver problems and in high enough doses, death.
  • Concentrated acetaminophen infant drops are almost three times stronger than the elixir. Never substitute infant drops for children's elixir if you are using elixir doses.

    • Vitamins

  • Vitamins containing iron, such as prenatal vitamins can cause a serious poisoning.
  • In tablet or liquid form are often mistaken for candy, especially if they are fruit flavored or shaped like cartoon characters. There are rarely any symptoms of vitamin poisoning. Symptoms, if they occur, may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and drowsiness.

    • Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol)

  • If swallowed, may cause excessive activity at first, then drowsiness, and possibly coma.

    • Nasal decongestants (Dimetapp®)

  • Often have a pleasant grape flavor. When unsupervised, children may drink large amounts of the decongestant which can lead to excessive activity, drowsiness, and possibly coma.

    • Zinc oxide (Desitin®, Balmex®) ointments and powders

  • Can cause stomach upset and breathing difficulty, respectively.

    • Diazepam (Valium®)

  • A sedative that is commonly used in suicide attempts. Poisoning with diazepam can lead to drowsiness and coma.

    • Flurazepam (Dalmane®)

  • A sleeping pill that is commonly used in suicide attempts. Poisoning with flurazepam can lead to drowsiness and coma.

    • Percodan

  • A pain medication often used in suicide attempts. Overdosing can cause dizziness, drowsiness, disorientation, and coma.

    • What are the symptoms of poisoning?

    The symptoms of poisoning depend on what your child has been exposed to. Other than finding an open container next to the child or the substance on the child's mouth or face, common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, excessive activity, excessive drowsiness, coma, headache, and irritation of the skin or mucous membranes.

    Home care

    Call the poison control center or our office now if you think your child has taken an inappropriate medication or improper dose.

    Home therapy should be instituted only after seeking advice from the poison control center or our office unless your child's life is imminently threatened.

    If there are two people in the home while attempting to contact the poison control center, here are a few common sense guidelines that you may consider:

    Swallowed poisons

  • Medicines - Do not give anything by mouth. Call the poison control center for advice now.
  • Household chemicals - As long as your child is not unconscious, having convulsions, or cannot swallow, give your child a small amount of water and call the poison control center now.

    • Inhaled poisons

  • Get your child immediately to fresh air and avoid the poisonous fumes.
  • Open windows and doors to increase ventilation to the area.
  • If your child is not breathing, have someone call the emergency number now (911 in most areas) and begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if you are trained.

    • Skin exposure

  • Remove any contaminated clothing from your child and flood skin with water for 10 minutes.
  • If there are no burns on the skin, wash the area gently with soap and water and rinse.
  • If there are burns on the skin, call our office now.

    • Eye exposure

  • Flood the eye with lukewarm water (NOT hot water) by pouring from a large glass 2 to 3 inches from the eye.
  • Do this for 15 minutes measured by the clock, and have your child blink his eyes very often during the flushing.
  • For eye lavage, it is more practical to have an older child stand in a warm shower for 20 minutes with eye up and open.
  • Be sure to call the poison control center for advice now.

    • Using syrup of ipecac

  • Ipecac is a very effective emetic - swallowing this medicine will usually make your child vomit.
  • Do not use syrup of ipecac unless advised to do so by the poison control center or our office.
  • Give children one year and older one tablespoon or three teaspoons (15 ml) followed by at least one glass of water.
  • For children under one or older children and adults, call the poison control center now for the appropriate dosage of ipecac.
  • It can take some time for the syrup to work. Wait for twenty minutes measured by the clock. If your child has not vomited after 20 minutes, give one and only one more dose. Never give more than two doses of ipecac. If your child has not vomited after another 20 minutes, call the poison control center or our office again for advice now.

    • Prevention

    Keep all medications out of the reach of children in locked cabinets high on the wall.

    Read the label on the container very carefully and follow the directions exactly.

    Take medications in a well-lit room to avoid making mistakes in dosing.

    Prescription medications should never be shared; especially among children because dosages can vary widely according to the weight of the child.

    Do not mix alcohol with medications.

    Do not combine medications unless instructed to do so by our office or the pharmacy.

    Avoid taking your own medication in front of children.

    Don't call medicine "candy" because this can send a confusing message to children.

    Warning signs - Call the poison control center or our office for advice immediately if:

    Your child is having any of the symptoms listed above after possibly having contact with any questionable material, call the poison control center now.

    You have any suspicion that your child has come into contact with any medication inappropriately, call the poison control center now.

    You have any questions about the safety of any plant or material in you home, take this opportunity to see our plant page or call the poison control center for advice or a referral now.

    You have any questions or concerns, or if you have any doubts about the severity of your child's symptoms, call the poison control center or our office now.

    If you go to the emergency room, bring the poison with you!