POISONING

Dial 999 immediately and whilst waiting for the ambulance to arrive check the person’s circulation, airway and breathing. The person maybe in shock so try and keep the person talking and calm. Loosen the person’s clothing and give them fresh air.

If poison of any sort is intentionally or accidentally swallowed, distressful signs could include, nausea, stomach pain, behaviour change, diarrhoea, chemical odour from mouth and unusual/diluted pupils. Look around the person to locate any open bottles or containers. If found, read the label for treatment advice. Hand it over to the emergency services when they arrive.

Food poisoning often shows up some eight hours after eating contaminated food. Botulism can cause slurred speech, breathing difficulties, blurred vision and droopy eyelids. Bacteria contamination can induce Salmonella, which can cause nausea, stomach cramps, fever and diarrhoea. If the symptoms are severe and persisting dial 999 and follow the above procedure.