Poisoning

10-minute read

Call triple zero (000) if someone has been exposed to a harmful substance and stops breathing, collapses, has a seizure or a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).

Key facts

Poisoning happens when you are sufficiently exposed to a substance that can cause illness, injury or death.
Common sources of poisoning are over-the-counter and prescription medicines, cleaning products, pesticides and animal bites or stings.
You can call the Poisons Information Line on 13 11 26 at any time.
Ways to prevent poisoning include childproofing storage containers and teaching children about poisons.
It’s important to familiarise yourself with first aid for poisoning.

What is poisoning?

Poisoning happens when you are exposed to a substance in amounts that cause illness, injury or death.

Poisoning can happen accidentally or on purpose.

A poison can be any substance that causes harm, including:

medicines
recreational substances and substances of abuse
poisons in your home
poisons at work
bites and stings
plants and mushrooms

Poisoning can happen through:

swallowing (eating)
inhaling (breathing in)
contact with your skin or eyes
a bite or sting

What are the symptoms of poisoning?

Call triple zero (000) immediately if someone stops breathing, is unconscious, has a seizure or has a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).

Symptoms of poisoning differ between poisons. They can depend on:

how much you were exposed to
your age
your size
your general health

Some general symptoms to watch for are:

stomach pain, nausea (feeling sick) or vomiting (being sick)
diarrhoea
a fever or chills
difficulty breathing
blue lips and skin
skin rash or burns to your skin, lips or throat

Other symptoms are:

blurred vision and headache
confusion
drowsiness or loss of consciousness
seizures

If you have a young child, look out for sudden unexplained illness, because poisoning could be the cause.

Call the Poisons Information Line on 13 11 26 if you think you have been exposed to poison. There is no need to wait until symptoms appear.

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

What causes poisoning?

Some common sources of poisoning are given below.

Medicines

Medicines that can cause poisoning include:

over-the-counter medicines — such as paracetamol and ibuprofen
prescription medicines — such as antidepressants, heart medicines and sedatives
herbal medicines
supplements

Recreational substances and substances of abuse

Other substances that can cause poisoning include:

Poisons in your home

Products and chemicals that can cause poisoning include:

cleaning products
button batteries
pesticides
essential oils
other household chemicals

Poisons at work

Products and chemicals at work that can cause poisoning include:

solvents
paints
glues
petroleum products

Bites and stings

Poisoning can be from bites and stings from:

Plants and mushrooms

Plants that can cause poisoning include:

mushrooms and fungi
trees
flowers
seeds and berries

Who gets poisoned?

Most accidental poisonings occur in children under 5 years old.

The risk is greater when your family’s routine is changed. This can be when you’re on holiday, moving house or have visitors.

Adults can be poisoned from:

accidental poisoning
medication errors
exposure to poisons at work
recreational poisoning
deliberate self-harm

When should I get help?

Call triple zero (000) if someone stops breathing, collapses, has a seizure, has a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) or has been exposed to a harmful substance.

If calling triple zero (000) does not work on your mobile phone try calling 112. Or you can take the person to the closest emergency department. Early treatment can save a life.

If there are no symptoms, call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26. You can call 24 hours a day from anywhere in Australia.

FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.

What first aid should I give for suspected poisoning?

Follow the first aid instructions for different types of poisonings below. After giving first aid, you should seek medical attention.

For swallowed poison:

Do NOT induce vomiting — it can cause more harm.
Wash any substance off the mouth or face.
Ask what poison is involved and take a photo of the bottle or packet.

For inhaled poison:

Move the person to fresh air.
Loosen tightened clothing.

For skin exposure to poison:

Don’t touch the chemical or exposed area yourself. Use protective clothing such as gloves and goggles.
Wash the substances off immediately.
Remove any affected clothes.
Flood the skin with cool running water.
Gently wash with soap and water.

For eye exposure to poison:

Hold eyelids open and flood with tap water from a cup, jug or tap for 15 minutes.

How is poisoning diagnosed?

A doctor will need to work out how harmful the poison is and manage it accordingly.

They may ask you:

what substance you were exposed to, and how much (you may need to refer to the bottle or packet)
when and how you were exposed (mouth, airways or skin contact)
what symptoms you have

They may do blood tests to confirm or rule out common substances such as paracetamol.

How is poisoning treated?

Being poisoned can be life threatening.

If you are admitted to hospital, staff will try to remove or treat the poison. Possible treatments include:

activated charcoal
antidotes — to stop the poison from working or reverse its effects
anti-epileptic medicine — if you are having seizures
sedatives — if you are agitated

In cases where the poisoning was intentional (such as a drug overdose), you will be referred to mental health services for extra support.

How can I help prevent poisoning?

Poisoning often occurs when substances are not stored securely. See the tips below for storing substances safely.

Inside the house:

Keep cleaning products, medicines, alcohol and other dangerous substances in childproof locked cupboards 1.5m above the ground.
Label all cleaning products and keep them in their original containers.
Store spare button batteries and ALL toys and devices with button batteries 1.5m above ground level.

When handling medicines:

Store all medicines in their clearly labelled, original containers.
Call medicines by their proper names — don’t call them 'lollies'.
Put medicines back in their safe storage area immediately after use.
Store handbags containing medicines out of reach of children.

In the garden or shed:

Check that the plants and trees in your garden aren’t poisonous.
Clear out any rubbish that might hide poisonous animals, such as snakes and spiders.
Keep snail pellets, insect baits and repellents out of reach of children.
Do NOT store liquid chemicals in old drink bottles.
Wear appropriate protection when painting, spraying or cleaning.
Throw out unwanted chemicals at your nearest hazardous waste disposal service.

Help children understand about poisons:

Closely supervise your child around your home — especially when you have visitors.

Complications of poisoning

Complications of poisoning vary depending on the chemical involved.

Some substances can be harmful even in small amounts. They may cause complications such as seizures, organ failure, coma or death.

Speak to your doctor if you have any concerns about your exposure to a substance, especially if it is ongoing, such as in your workplace.

Resources and support

It’s a good idea to save the Poisons Information Centre number 13 11 26 in your contacts list.

For more information and support on poisons you can visit the NSW Poisons Information Centre. They give telephone advice Australia-wide on 13 11 26 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Other languages

Do you prefer to read languages other than English? The Royal Children’s Hospital has poisoning prevention tips in 11 languages including Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, Farsi and Vietnamese.