What do I do in an emergency?

• Not all medicines and household chemicals are poisonous or cause symptoms. If the person is unconscious or has difficulty breathing, ring 111. In all other poisoning situations call the National Poisons Centre on 0800 POISON (0800 764 766) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Stay calm. If a child is upset or crying, have someone take care of them so you can focus on the phone call.
• You will speak to a Poisons Information Officer, who needs to ask questions before they can help. Bring the container to the phone. You may be asked:
  • was the poison swallowed, splashed in the eye or on skin
  • when it happened
  • name and concentration of the substance
  • how much – for example a mouthful, the number of tablets, or how much is left in the bottle
  • age and weight of the child
  • symptoms
  • first aid that has already been carried out.
• Mention anything you think may be important, such as an existing health condition, or the fact you live a long way from medical care.
• The Poisons Information Officer will advise on first aid and/or seeing a doctor. They will ask for your name, location and phone number, in case they need to contact you back.

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