Holiday SOS: Mushroom and wild fruit poisoning. First aid!

Especially during the holidays, and in the summer and autumn, it is easy to get poisoned by plants and mushrooms. Some of the poisonous plants can be found outside the block, and some of them even on our balconies or in apartments. However, not everyone knows about it. Children are most at risk of poisoning with houseplants, as they can try a colorful plant they encounter while playing with their childlike imagination.

Houseplant poisoning

Poisonous plants that are found in homes are most often ivy, alpine violet, dieffenbachia, peace lily, oleander, dracaena, ficus, tulips, narcissus and philodendrons. It should be remembered that these plants are poisonous not only to humans, but also to animals. Such poisoning can be dangerous, especially for animals and children, who share a low body weight.

Outdoor plant poisoning

Outside, the poisoning most often occurs with Datura (which is also called devil’s weed), deadly nightshade, black henbane and hemlock. Children should be told not to try any fruit, berries, especially black ones, that they may encounter in the forest, in the park, or even outside their block of flats.

Symptoms of poisoning with poisonous plants

• Diarrhea and vomiting
• Nausea
• Bad mood
• Convulsions and numbness of the limbs
• Digestive disorders and abdominal pain
• Salivation
• Visual, respiratory and circulatory disorders

Mushroom poisoning

It is best not to give mushrooms to children under the age of 5. In the event of any poisoning, saving the child can then be extremely difficult. The still weak immunity of the child may not cope with the poison. Keep in mind that mushroom poisoning is divided into two distinct categories. Some of them become visible within 6 hours of eating mushrooms, and others only after 6 hours of eating mushrooms. Visible symptoms should therefore be remembered along with the time of their occurrence.

In the prevention of poisoning, it is always worth informing the child about which mushrooms they should not even pick. Let’s warn from an early age especially about toadstools, whose poisoning is one of the most serious.

First aid for poisoning with plants and mushrooms

1. First, induce vomiting if the person or child is conscious (do not induce vomiting in an unconscious person!). Vomiting can be induced by drinking a glass of water with 5 tablespoons of salt
2. Give activated charcoal
3. Pack up the vomited stomach contents tightly as this will help identify the poison
4. After induction of vomiting, the sick person should be transported to a medical facility
5. List to the staff all the symptoms that the sick person has experienced so far