Most childhood poisonings happen in the home. They usually can be treated at home with advice from the poison control center. But it's important to know when a poisoning is serious enough to need medical treatment.

Signs and Symptoms

• drowsiness
• sudden change in behavior
• unusual odor
• pill pieces on the lips or clothes
• heavy drooling
• vomiting
• confusion

What to Do

• If you think that your child has taken a poison and he or she is alert, contact your local poison control center right away for advice (1-800-222-1222).

Get Emergency Medical Care or Call 911 if:

• Your child has taken a poison and isn't acting normally. It's important to bring the bottle or container of the pills or liquid that your child took. Don't give a child ipecac.

Think Prevention!

To help prevent poisoning:

• Keep medicines in locked cabinets.
• Keep cleaning products and alcohol in locked cabinets or far out of reach.
• Discard (or recycle) used button cell batteries (like those in remote controls) safely. Store unused ones far from children's reach.
• Never tell a child that medicine tastes like candy.
• Never put cleaning products in containers that were once used for food or drink.
• Never put rodent poison on the floor.

Reviewed by: Kate M. Cronan, MD
Date Reviewed: 03-07-2018