Moths balls do NOT constitute finger food

[Fi from West Dulwich]

So, back from 4 hours spent at Kings A and E after O was found with what I thought was a Trebor Mint in his mouth. Refined sugar - aargh, panic! Quick taste test revealed was most definitely not a Trebor Mint. Call to estate agent (we had literally been inside our new house for 5 mins) to find out what were the strange mint-like things on the wardrobe floor. Reply from owner; 'mothballs, sorry, forgot to hoover them up'. Googled 'Mothballs; consumption of by mischevious toddlers'. Answer; 'Seek urgent medical help'. Ran to nearest Dr who said go straight to A and E. Aargh; no car, rush hour building up, and precious child (beaming happily) in arms - called 999 and sirens blazing, we made our way to Kings in style. O having the time of his life, making friends for life with paramedics and not a symptom to be seen, so it turns out he probably didn't ingest any as I snatched it out of his mouth in time, but we had 4 hours of obs done to be safe. Thought would share this little episode with you all a) because it is quite therapeutic after rather a traumatic afternoon and, more importantly, b) because I didn't know how to deal with such a situation and thought the advice I was given might make useful reading for others: was told not to give him any food or drink (even water) and not to make him sick; both of which I had thought were probably good things to do, diluting or removing the poison (I had read this in a James Heriot book. No, not sure either why I felt that this would be an appropriate time to dabble in veterinary science). Worst of all would have been to have given him milk, as fat would have increased his absorption of the ingested substance. So was rather relieved it hadn't occurred to me to let him breast feed. Turns out James Herriot is not so hot on ingested poisons in infants. And finally, DON'T LET YOUR CHILDREN GO ANYWHERE NEAR MOTHBALLS. OR TREBOR MINTS.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

But he's awfully good on using mustard concoctions to counteract rat poison in dogs! Glad to hear all is okay now.

[Helen GV]

scary! glad it's all ok :o)

[Moos]

Fi, thanks for letting us know. Really useful re: the not drinking - does this apply to all potentially poisonous substances? Very good news that O is perfectly well.

(Having complicated reaction to your post - half of me in heart-squeezing horror for how frightened you must have been and the other half laughing about your naughty monkey chatting up the paramedics while you checked James Herriott.)

I do think you may have the trophy here, but my friend's son was found aged about one sucking happily on the kitchen mop. Euwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. But no ill effects. My son at about one liked to lick pretty much everything he could get hold of, including pavements when not closely watched.

[Ruth_Baldock]

My son likes to try to latch onto the hoover. YEUCH.

[darlin']

You'll be pleased to know you are not the only one! My toddler (note: NOT baby!)has, to date, eaten:

a slug

a teaspoon full of emulsion paint (went and grabbed a spoon, came back, helped herself!)

a bite of a persil washing tablet

a nibble or two of a lump of coal

On most occasions we frantically called NHS Direct who seem to deal with such stuff all the time and were delightfully calm and helpful!

While teaching I also had 2 awful occasions: one where a little girl (4) was handing around sweeties to her friends at playtime that turned out to be, on closer inspection, her mother's diet pills! And another where a boy had a pocket-full of moth balls that were his "special balls from home" Oh my goodness!

[buggie]

On the whole with ingestions, drinking water/milk is ok but never try to induce vomiting (aspiration risk ++).

As Darlin' has said NHS direct are a fountain of reassurance on this as they use the same toxicology database that is used in A&E, v good if darling child isn't showing any signs of distress/upset from the ?ingestion. One time I would want to whizz them straight in would be if the ?ingestion was of anti-depressive/cardiac or similar medication.

Most common ingestions A&E see are household cleaners/washing liquids which kids are unlikely to have had a huge amount of (realise it's pretty foul as soon as it touches the tongue and they spit it out!).

Even tablets are usually v low doses as they normally realise once the sugar coatings gone their pretty horrid (had a v worried dad and toddler + a bag of 10 v well sucked ibuprofen once - each had been spat out once the sweetness had gone!).