If the person is unresponsive, not breathing normally, or you are unsure — call your local emergency number NOW, before anything else.
Poisoning
Poisoning happens when a harmful substance is swallowed, breathed in, spilled on the skin or eyes, or injected. Fast action can prevent the poison from causing more serious harm.
Call emergency services immediately if…
- The person is unconscious, hard to wake, having seizures, or not breathing normally
- The person has severe trouble breathing, severe chest pain, or collapses
- The poison was a strong cleaner, acid, alkali, fuel, pesticide, carbon monoxide, or an unknown substance
- The person is a baby or child and may have taken any dangerous amount
- The person has severe burns to the mouth, drooling, confusion, or rapidly worsening symptoms
- 1
Call emergency services
If the person has any life-threatening signs, call your local emergency number immediately. If available in your area, also contact a poison center for expert advice while help is on the way.
- 2
Make the area safe
Do not put yourself in danger. Move away from fumes, smoke, or spills if you can do so safely, and open windows or doors for fresh air if appropriate.
- 3
Check breathing and responsiveness
If the person is unresponsive, check whether they are breathing normally. If they are not breathing normally, start CPR if you know how and use an AED if available; if they are breathing but unconscious, place them on their side if there is no suspected spinal injury.
- 4
Stop the exposure
For swallowed poison, gently remove anything still in the mouth. For inhaled poison, move the person to fresh air; for skin or eye exposure, remove contaminated clothing and flush the area with lots of clean running water.
- 5
Rinse skin or eyes
If poison is on the skin, wash with running water and remove contaminated jewelry or clothing. If poison is in the eye, rinse with clean running water for at least 15 minutes, keeping the eyelid open if possible.
- 6
Follow poison-center advice
Have the container, label, or name of the substance ready if possible. Tell responders what happened, when it happened, how much may have been involved, and the person's age and symptoms.
- 7
Keep the person still and watch closely
Stay with the person and watch for changes in breathing, alertness, skin color, or vomiting. If they vomit on their own, turn them onto their side to help protect the airway.
Do NOT
- Do not make the person vomit unless a poison expert or emergency professional tells you to
- Do not give food, drink, milk, alcohol, or home remedies unless a poison expert tells you to
- Do not enter a dangerous area with gas, fumes, or chemicals without proper protection
- Do not touch spilled chemicals with bare hands
- Do not delay calling for help while searching for more information
Afterwards
Even if the person seems better, they may still need medical assessment because some poisons act slowly. Keep the product container or a photo of the label, and share all details with healthcare staff or the poison center.
Sources
Printed from HealthPulse.cc — first-aid education only, not a substitute for training or professional emergency care. Always call your local emergency number first.
Medical Disclaimer
Health Information Notice: HealthPulse provides educational information and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Do not change medications or treatment based solely on this information. If you may be experiencing a medical emergency, contact your local emergency services immediately. Read our Medical Disclaimer →
AI notice: HealthPulse AI provides general health information, not medical diagnosis or treatment. For personal medical decisions, consult a qualified healthcare professional.