Immediate Medical Attention Must be Sought if a Child Consumes a Poisonous Substance

Head of the Department of Paediatrics at the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital, Dr. Ludrick Morris, has emphasised that immediate medical attention must be sought after a child has consumed a poisonous substance.

“A thing not to do is try to induce vomiting, because that sometimes can make things worse,” he indicated.

“Sometimes it (induced vomiting) increases the risk of aspiration, meaning it (poison) getting down into the lung and can cause significant breathing problems. Sometimes, children end up on ventilators and, unfortunately, sometimes die, because of aspiration,” Dr. Morris said.

He was speaking at a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ held at the agency’s Montego Bay Regional Office in St. James, on August 19, Dr. Morris said there has been an increase in accidental poisoning among children in Western Jamaica.

He said that to ensure the best possible medical response, parents are advised to bring the original container of the substance that was ingested.

This allows healthcare professionals to identify the poison and determine if an antidote is available.

Dr. Morris pointed out that early intervention is critical, especially the administration of activated charcoal, which can prevent the poison from being absorbed into the bloodstream.

He emphasised that this treatment is most effective when given within an hour of ingestion of the poison.

Dr. Morris also highlighted the importance of having emergency contact numbers readily available, so parents can call ahead while en route to the hospital.

“For the most part, we (Western Regional Health Authority) are equipped to deal with the cases of accidental poisoning. So, the majority of the children will be up and running within the day of the ingestion,” Dr. Morris said.

He pointed out that while most cases of accidental poisoning are treatable, certain substances, such as medication for diabetes, can cause severe harm.

Also, in rare instances, he noted that ingestion of substances without known antidotes can be fatal.

As such, Dr. Morris is advising parents and guardians to properly secure household chemicals, medications, cosmetic agents, and other substances to prevent incidents of accidental poisoning among children.

In the meantime, the Western Regional Health Authority, which oversees healthcare services in Westmoreland, St. James, Hanover and Trelawny, is taking proactive steps to combat the issue through health education initiatives.

Surveillance data from Westmoreland have indicated that accidental poisoning remains a leading cause of illness among children in the region.

To reduce the incidence of such events, the entity is focusing on promoting health education and encouraging parents to securely store potentially harmful substances in households.