Emergency Urgent Care: When to Go to an ER: Toxic Ingestion
A toxic substance refers to any chemical or mixture which when swallowed, absorbed through the skin or inhaled, may be harmful. Toxic ingestion is therefore the ingestion of any of these harmful chemicals or mixtures through any of the aforementioned avenues. Toxic ingestion is mostly associated with children who are more likely to ingest these harmful substances. This is because children are naturally curious and it is this curiosity that makes them susceptible to toxic ingestion. Some of the harmful plants such as wild mushrooms can be enticing to children while common household products that may lead to toxic ingestion also come in brightly colored packages that make them very attractive to kids. As per the subject matter experts over at frontlineer.com, there are a number of toxic substances which include alcohol, paints and paint thinners, pesticides, vitamins, wild mushrooms, cosmetics such as nail polishes and perfumes, medications, plants which include both household plants and their outdoor counterparts among many others. It is important to know the serious signs as far as toxic ingestion is concerned so that you can take the affected person to an ER as soon as possible for emergency urgent care given the urgency of the situation. This article will look to help with that by highlighting the instances when you should go to an ER for toxic ingestion.
One of the instances you should definitely go to an ER for toxic ingestion is if one is having difficulty breathing or has stopped breathing after having ingested a toxic substance. Breathing difficulties or even a lack of breathing should always be taken seriously regardless of the circumstances given the consequences, and this applies to cases of toxic ingestion as well. In such a situation, you should call 911 so that an ambulance can be dispatched to your location and take the affected party to an ER such as the highly rated frontlineer.com. Not only will the ambulance come with emergency care personnel who will try to stabilize or resuscitate the affected person on site before rushing them to the ER, they may also give you instructions on how to proceed and how to help the affected person before they arrive which could be the difference between life and death in such a situation. Other than problems with breathing, you should also call 911 and have the affected person taken to an ER as soon as possible if they are feeling drowsy or have even lost consciousness after ingesting a toxic substance. This should be taken very seriously to avoid any unwanted consequences.
After toxic ingestion, keep the affected person under close observation and monitor especially their mental wellbeing. If they seem to be very irritated or agitated and appear extremely restless, then you should have them taken to an ER as soon as possible to be attended to. Seizures and convulsions are yet another red flag to look out for as far as toxic ingestion is concerned, as per the subject matter experts over at the excellent frontlineer.com. If one develops seizures or is having convulsions, then the best thing to do is call 911 and have them taken to an ER by an ambulance. Seizures and convulsions may indicate an issue with the brain and nervous system and should be taken very seriously. Also keep a close look on the skin of someone who may have suffered from toxic ingestion. If they develop severe rashes or what look like burns on the skin around the mouth, or if their skin begins to turn blue or goes pale, then you should take them to an ER as soon as possible so that they can be attended to.
Severe nausea and vomiting is yet another sign that you should go to an ER as soon as possible for toxic ingestion. One of the issues that comes with severe vomiting is dehydration, and as such you should have the affected person taken to an ER such as the excellent frontlineer.com to not only be treated for their toxic ingestion, but also to ensure that they don’t suffer dehydration. Vital signs are also key when deciding whether or not to go to an ER for toxic ingestion. Here, if you develop an irregular heartbeat, extremely high or low blood pressure or you notice a drastic drop in body temperature, a condition known as hypothermia, then you should also head over to an ER as soon as possible for emergency urgent care. If one, especially in children, is drooling uncontrollably after having ingested a toxic substance, then they should also head over to an ER as soon as they can to be assessed and attended to. Instances of overdoses, either intentionally or accidentally, should also be taken very seriously. Here, if you suspect someone may have taken medication, usually in large amounts, then they should be taken to an ER as soon as possible to be attended to for toxic ingestion. In such situations, if it is a child involved, the overdose is likely accidental as they may just have gotten into your medicine, while if it is an adult or a teenager, then most likely it was intentional and may have been an attempt at suicide. Such a situation should always be taken very seriously so as to avoid any unwanted consequences.
The above are some of the instances when you should go to an ER for toxic ingestion, with more on this topic as well as the best emergency urgent care service to be accessed by checking out the highly regarded frontlineer.com.
