Nurse Meagan’s Medical Moment

This medical moment is brought to you by my 2 year old little girl. We spent the last two weeks visiting my mom and step dad in sunny Arizona and the kids had an awesome time running around like crazy and playing with cousins. After the cousins went home, however, the kids had a little more time on their hands. Time to make mischief.  So one day I found my daughter hiding one of the bathrooms, sucking on a tube of toothpaste. She was chugging that thing. Luckily, I caught her pretty early, but I was still nervous that she had swallowed too much. So, I quickly pulled out the poison control phone number (I had memorized it in nursing school-and I’ll provide it below) and gave them a call. They assured me that a child of her size would have to consume about half of a large tube in order for it to be a concern, but they said I should give her a big glass of milk (because the calcium in the milk binds with the flouride in the toothpaste) and watch her for vomiting in the next hour. All was well with my little girl and she had nothing more than excellent breath to show from her binge. As a nurse, however, I want to take a moment to give you a few tips on what you should do if one of your kids ingests something harmful.

1. If possitble identify what they have ingested. Grab the bottle, pill, berry, plant, etc. to help identify what exactly is in it. Poison control can help you identify pills if they are umarked, and the hospital will want to see what exactly is the culprit if you have to take a trip to the ER.

2. Call poison control. The number is 1-800-222-1222. Easy to remember, but I suggest you put it in you phone. You never know where you’ll be when something like this happens and its best to be prepared.

3. If you find your child and they are having a difficult time breathing or are unconsious or are in any way totally freaking you out, skip calling poison control and call 911. Don’t skip #1, though. Finding out what is causing the issue is key to treating the issue.

4. Prevention is always best. Keep medications, cleaning supplies, glue, small items, etc etc out of reach or locked up. After discovering my daughters affinity for toothpaste I now keep it out of her reach. Kids will make a meal out of some of the craziest things. So just keeping a good eye on your kids is a good idea too. Often easier said then done, I know, but just be aware of their surroundings and potential hazards.

Here’s to a happy and safe holiday season!

 

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    Hello! I am Camille, a wife, mother of four, Disney obsessed, certified teacher, and reality optimist. Motherhood comes with its ups and downs, and I hope while you're here you'll find something that makes your #momlife easier!

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