A Warning about Pesticides

QUESTION: My kid almost died from swallowing pesticides--please warn your
readers that these are dangerous chemicals, not to be left around.
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ANSWER: No chemical can be dismissed as harmless, and all should be used and
stored with every possible precaution to prevent children from coming in
contact with them.
When children are exposed to pesticides, the symptoms may be more subtle
and confusing than they are in adults, so it is important to be aware of the
hazards and be prepared to handle the problem.
One problem is that the signs that suggest pesticide poisoning in
adults--salivation (drooling), lacrimation (tears), urination, and defecation
(bowel movement)--can be mistaken for normal behavior in an infant or toddler.
The commonest signs of poisoning in children include excessive salivation,
muscle weakness, and sluggishness. Many children will also have a rapid heart
beat, and some will have spasmodic seizures.
Pesticide poisoning can look like other, more common pediatric illnesses,
such as coma, head trauma, bronchitis, pneumonia, or even diabetes or
shigellosis.
One of the most clear-cut symptoms of pesticide poisoning is miosis--
contracted, tiny pupils of the eye, described as "pinpoint pupils."
Although the most common way a child becomes poisoned is by eating or
drinking pesticides. It can also occur from exposure to an area that has been
sprayed or fogged with the chemicals. Playing on a lawn or carpet that has
recently been treated can result in poisoning.
Ingesting a poison will usually produce symptoms immediately, but some
poisons, and poisoning that occurs through skin exposure, may come on more
slowly.
Laboratory tests can be helpful in diagnosing pesticide poisoning, but
treatment should begin as soon as poisoning is suspected. Treatment is aimed
at reversing the toxic effects of the chemicals. The antidote will depend on
the specific pesticide involved. Your local emergency room and advice from
your local Poison Control Center are your best front line defenses.
While treating acute poisoning is crucial, it is important to
correct--and better still, prevent--the situation that led to the episode.
Most children are poisoned in their homes by chemicals that had been stored
carelessly or placed in unmarked and uncovered containers. This is a good
time of year to perform a home safety check, and correct those dangerous
situations.