poisoning

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PoisoningVėjūna Guzulaitytė, MF I k., 9 gr.

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Poisoning is when a person is exposed to a substance that can damage their health or put their life in danger.

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The most common way a person becomes poisoned is by swallowing a harmful substance, although you can

also be poisoned by:

• inhaling a harmful substance;• injecting a harmful substance; • harmful substances, such as pesticides,

splashing on your skin or eyes; • being poisoned by an insect or animal bite;• overdosing on an illegal drug or medication.

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The symptoms of poisoning will depend on the type of poison and the amount taken in, but

general things to look out for include:

• being sick; • stomach pains; • high temperature; • breathing difficulties; • drowsiness and fainting fits;• reduced levels of consciousness.

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How to help?

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• If you think someone has swallowed poison and they appear to be unconscious, try to wake them and encourage them to spit out any pills. Do not put your hand into their mouth and do not try to make them sick.

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• If you are waiting for medical help to arrive, lie the person on their side with a cushion behind their back and their upper leg pulled slightly forward, so they do not fall on their face or roll backwards.

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• Wipe any vomit away from their mouth and keep their head pointing down to allow any vomit to escape without them breathing it in or swallowing it.

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• Do not give them anything to eat or drink.

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Types of poisons

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• overdose of medication;• household products;• cosmetic items; • some types of plants and fungi; • snake and sting bites;• certain types of chemicals and pesticides.

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The medications most commonly linked to poisoning are:

• Paracetamol; • Aspirin; • Tricyclic antidepressants; • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs);• Beta-blockers; • Calcium-channel blockers; • Benzodiazepines; • Opioids.

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The second most common cause of poisoning is household products, which account for around one in five cases.

These can include:

• cleaning products, such as bleach, caustic soda and disinfectant;

• cosmetics, such as baby oil, shampoo and nail varnish remover;

• DIY products, such as paint, glue and wallpaper paste;

• garden products, such as weedkiller and rat poison.

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Insects and snakes

Bees and wasps inject poison into your skin when they sting you, which can cause pain, swelling and itchiness.Bites from poisonous snakes can cause diarrhoea and sickness. How severely you are affected by a poisonous bite or sting depends on the

amount of venom (poison) injected and whether you are allergic to it.

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Snakes sometimes bite without injecting any venom . This is called a ‘dry’ bite and may cause:

• mild pain caused by the snake’s teeth puncturing the skin;

• anxiety; • if a snake injects venom when it bites it can cause

more serious symptoms including: 1. swelling and redness in the area of the bite

2. nausea 3. vomiting 4. faintness

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Food can sometimes cause poisoning if:

• it goes mouldy; • it becomes contaminated with bacteria from

raw meat; • it has not been prepared or cooked properly.

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The symptoms of food poisoning usually begin one to three days after eating contaminated food. They include:

• feeling sick; • vomiting; • diarrhoea; • stomach cramps.

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Most people with food poisoning will get better without the need for treatment. In the

meantime, you can relieve the symptoms of food poisoning by:

• drinking plenty of fluids; • eating easily digested food, such as toast,

until you feel better; • resting.

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Signs that you may have a more serious case of food poisoning that requires medical attention

include:

• vomiting that lasts for more than two days; • not being able to keep liquids down for more

than a day; • diarrhoea that lasts for more than three days

or is bloody; • fever.

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Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that has no smell or taste. Breathing it in can make you unwell and it can kill.

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A headache is the most common symptom of mild carbon monoxide poisoning. Other

symptoms include:

• dizziness and nausea;• vomiting;• tiredness and confusion; • stomach pain; • shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.

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Symptoms of CO poisoning that develop later include:

• confusion; • memory loss; • co-ordination problems.

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If you have breathed in high levels of CO gas, it is likely that you will experience more severe

symptoms. These may include:

• impaired mental state and personality changes; • vertigo; • ataxia; • breathlessness and tachycardia; • chest pain caused by angina or a heart attack; • seizures;• loss of consciousness.

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The most common substances involved in cases of child poisoning are:

• Cosmetics; • Cleaning products; • Painkillers; • Medications that come in cream, lotion or ointment

form; • Foreign bodies, such as small coins or batteries; • Cough and cold medications; • Plants; • Vitamins; • Antibiotics.

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Treatment

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A person who is poisoned is normally admitted to hospital for observation. A substance known as active charcoal may be given to

stop the poison being absorbed into the blood

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Prevention

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There are several steps you can take to reduce your (or your child’s) risk of poisoning. These include carefully reading the patient information leaflet that comes with your

medication and making sure any poisonous substances are locked away out of the sight and reach of your children.

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Sourcers:

• http://www.emedicinehealth.com/poisoning/article_em.htm• http://www.aapcc.org/dnn/PoisoningPrevention.aspx• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/poisoning.html• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison

• http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Poisoning/Pages/Introduction.aspx