We think of home as a safe place, a place of comfort. But our homes also contain many dangers for small children. Whether sharp or spiky surfaces or harmful substances. Even when the danger is seemingly far away in the safest of places, there is always a chance that a curious child can gain access to drugs and medicines in a medicine cabinet, or household cleaning chemicals like soap and detergents.
Luckily, poisoning caused by foaming detergents is rare. But when it happens parents need to react quickly. Swallowing detergents can increase the absorption of toxic substances and vomiting can make the foaming worse. Children might then breathe in the foam and suffocate. You can prevent that from happening with a form of antidote, an anti-foaming solution like Espumisan.
There are some simple safeguards which can and should be used: Having a medicine cabinet with a lock is essential to every household with children. Moving more dangerous cleaning products from easily accessible places such as under the sink to a higher out of the way cupboard is another recommendation.
This applies to both items in the house and outside, like a garage or garden shed. Although it may be convenient to re-house them in drinks bottles, some people like to store items such as paint thinners, bleach and other agents in drinking bottles. Always keep them in their original containers, as curious kids might mistake them for a soft drink. When disposing of items, make sure they are not in easily reachable indoor wastepaper baskets or trash. Also avoid poisonous plants or keep them well out of reach of small hands.
When time is of the essence, a mobile app can provide quick access to important information. The “Kinder and Gift” app provides helpful information for prevention and what to do in case of an emergency. It also includes an encyclopedia of common poisons in the household and poisonous plants.
If the worst does happen and your child swallows something make sure to call a doctor or special poison helpline to get immediate help.
Learn to read the signs that something is amiss. Watch out for the following signs. Always call a doctor or helpline if your child:
Difficulty speaking or breathing
Unconscious
Vomiting
Burning sensation at the mouth
Stomach pain
Chemical burns on the skin
If the poisonous substance has a fast-acting agent, it may be important to administer first aid straight away. Therefore, it might be time efficient to work as a pair: One person may call poison control while the other takes relevant precautions.
Clearly, when a child has swallowed a dangerous substance medical advice should be taken from a doctor or poison hotline.
But sometimes children have a mild reaction to swallowing a small amount of detergent or washing liquid. The child may feel nausea and soapy bubbles can occur. Simethicone, the active substance of Espumisan, usually used for the treatment of bloating and flatulence, is scientifically proven to help in two ways. Espumisan and it’s active ingredient Simethicone helps to drain liquid while particles in the anti-foaming agent are breaking down the surface of soapy bubbles, relieving the child’s stomach and helping a quicker recovery.
Emulsion with 100 mg of Simethicone for effective treatment of gastrointestinal symptoms due to gas.
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