First Aid for Food Poisoning

Most poisonings are preventable, and every effort should be made to poison-proof your home (see Home Checklist). However, if someone in your home is exposed to a poison, the following information is intended to help you do the right thing as quickly as possible.

Remember:

• Keep Calm.
• If you think someone has been poisoned never wait until you see symptoms, call right away!
• Call 911 if the victim is unconscious or is having convulsions or difficulty breathing.
• Keep the Poison Control Center's number posted by your phone, 1-800-222-1222.
• Know how to act quickly. Action is the most important factor in first aid if you suspect poisoning.
• Many of the recommended treatments for poisonings on product labels may be outdated or incorrect. Using home remedies like salt water, mustard and water are usually ineffective and may be dangerous. DON'T USE THEM.
  
  
• Please Call the Poison Experts for Advice!
  Oklahoma Poison Control Center
  1-800-222-1222
  
  
  
• Visit your local pharmacy and purchase activated charcoal (this is a special product that can only be purchased through a pharmacy) for your home today. Use the powder or liquid forms of activated charcoal not the tablets. Always remember to call the Oklahoma Poison Control Center before using activated charcoal.

The Oklahoma Poison Control Center web site is provided free of charge to the public as an informational and educational tool. This web site is NOT intended as a substitute for a consultation with the Oklahoma Poison Control Center. The center is a statewide program operated by The University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy in cooperation with Children´s Hospital at the OU Medical Center. Our pharmacists and nurses are specially trained poison experts available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.