By Courtney Malvern

Poisoning occurs when a foreign substance is consumed by someone that is not tolerable to the chemical by which the chemical then causes harm, danger or injury to the person generally by a chemical reaction.

Poisons vary, as simple products that are used by humans, such as medicines can become poisonous to the body if used incorrectly. Plants and animals can also be poisonous to the human body as they may contain chemical substances in which our bodies are not built to endure.

General At Home Poisons

Signs:Vomiting, drowsiness, difficulty breathing,

odours on breath, change of skin colour with blueness around lips, swelling, sudden collapse, pain where poison has made

contact, diarrhea, changes in consciousness, seizures, rash, burns around lips or tongue or on the skin, pale or bluish skin, sweating

and salivating(drooling) profusely.

POISON

Symptoms: nausea, abdominal pain, burning pains from

mouth to stomach, tight chest, blurred vision, difficulty swallowing and severe pain.

Its important to note that each poison has different signs and symptoms associated

with it, as:Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chest or

abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, changes in consciousness, seizures or burns around

lips or tongue or on the skin are all signs and symptoms generally associated with

Swallowing a poison.  

Whilst Inhaling a poison is generally linked with Pale or bluish skin (changes of skin

colour with blueness around lips), difficulty breathing and tight chest.

 And pain where poison has made contact, stinging and a rash can be associated with both the poison coming into contact with

Eyes and Skin.  

Treatment/ Management TechniquesDepending on how the poison is taken into the body depends on how it should be treated. If the poison is:

Swallowed: Give a sip of water to whomever has swallowed the poison. Take the poison container to the telephone only if it is safe to do so. However if the poison container has been contaminated then write down the product name and any ingredients listed. Immediately after this call on 13 11 26 the Poisons information centre. Do not induce vomiting or use Ipecac Syrup, only do what the Poison information centre instructs.

Treatment/ Management Techniques

Inhaled: Without placing yourself at risk, get the endangered person to fresh air. Avoid inhaling fumes and if it is safe open all doors and window wide. If the victim isn’t breathing start resuscitation (mouth to mouth) and immediately all an ambulance on 000. Once again take the poison container to the telephone only if it is safe to do so. However if the poison container has been contaminated then write down the product name and any ingredients listed. Immediately after this call on 13 11 26, the Poisons information centre.

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In the EYE: Get cold

water from a running tapOr Cup & flood the

eye. Keep your eyelids open & continue rinsing the eyeWith Cold water for 15

minutes. If safe to do so, take poison container to telephone. However if

the poison container has been

product name and any ingredients listed. Then phone poisons

informationCentre on 13 11 26.

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Treatment/ ManagementTechniques

Contaminated then write down the

In contact with Skin: Remove all clothing that has come into contact with the poison, however take care to avoid further contact with the poison. Flood skin with running cold water. Then wash gently with water and soap and rinse well. Take the poison container to the telephone only if it is safe to do so. However if the poison container has been contaminated then write down the product name and any ingredients listed. Once this has been done, call Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.

Treatment/ Management TechniquesContinued...

Treatment/ Management Techniques

Bites and stings Bites and stings of animals can to result in the poisoning of someone. If someone is bitten or stung by a creature they are to either apply a pressure immobilisation bandage which slows down the venom traveling to further areas of the body, or apply hot water, an ice pack or vinegar.  The following is a table in which to follow if you endure a bite or sting from one of the animals listed, you will find in the top row what to apply.

TREATMENT ACCORDING TO SOURCE

OF BITE

ICE PACKS

- Bee- Wasp- Red back- Scorpion- Centipede- Ants

PRESSURE BANDAGE

- Snakes- Funnel-Web- Cone Shell- Blue-Ringed - Octopus- Allergies

HOT WATER

- Stone Fish- Bull rout- Stingray- Blue Bottle

VINEGAR

- Box Jellyfish

Once the above procedures are applied then phone the Poisons information centre on 13 11 26 and seek medical advice.

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First aid international, Last updated: Unknown. ‘First aid international , fractures, Poisons.’http://www.firstaidinternational.com.au/poisons%20bites%20stings.htmRetrieved: 5-8-08  St John ambulance Australia, Last updated: June 2007‘First in first aid, Poisoning.’http://www.stjohn.org.au/images/stjohn/information/poisoning%20june07%20v1.pdfRetrieved: 5-8-08

The children's hospital at Westmead. Last updated: Wednesday, 12 March 2008.‘NSW poisons information hospital, the children's hospital at Westmead.’http://www.chw.edu.au/poisons/first_aid.htmRetrieved: 5-8-08

State of Queensland (Queensland Health). Last updated: 27 June 2007.‘First Aid’http://www.health.qld.gov.au/poisonsinformationcentre/first_aid.aspRetrieved: 5-8-08

Julia Becker and Daina Lieberman. Last Updated: Unknown‘Poisoning.’http://library.thinkquest.org/10624/poison.html#p1Retrieved: 5-8-08