First Aid for Children

First aid: know what to do if your child has ingested chemicals.

 Children are very naturally mischievous. Due to the innocence of their age, they end up in situations that are often complicated – and even dangerous. For this reason, it is important to know how to provide first aid to children, as the initial moments are crucial to put the child out of risk. One of the problems that parents face is when little ones ingest chemical products, such as those for cleaning. Depending on the product, it is considered a medical emergency and the child needs to be rushed to the hospital. A simple way to find out what to do is to call the Toxicological Assistance Center (CEATOX) and explain what happened, and what product was ingested. Professionals are trained to guide what should be done: whether parents can wait with the child at home, or whether it is necessary to take them to the emergency room.

Contact with chemical substances can bring risks to the body, ranging from mild to severe manifestations, with risk of death. Children usually ingest these substances at home and accidentally.

The substances usually ingested are: medicines, cleaning products, insecticides, paints, greases, shampoos, creams and various cosmetics, alcoholic beverages, among others. Each state has its poisoning centers. In São Paulo, there are CEATOX and CCI Jabaquara. In light situations, you can use these services, which are open 24 hours a day.

What to do

1 – If the child is fainted, call the rescue immediately, through 192;

2 – Try to identify the ingested product, the amount and approximate time of occurrence.

3 – If there is a burn or local redness, wash immediately with running water, especially if there is contact with the eyes.

4 – Remove the clothes containing the product. Prolonged contact can worsen skin reactions and increase the risk of inhaling some substances that cause lung inflammation;

5 – Take the child to the nearest medical service, with the label or package of the product and package inserts of the medicines.

common mistakes

– Do not offer water or milk afterwards, as they may increase the absorption of the chemical;

– Do not induce vomiting, especially when the substance has caustic soda in the composition. This product damages the esophagus when in contact with the organ wall; so it will hurt when the child ingests and when he vomits, worsening the situation.

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