Very important: do not panic; stay calm! Serious or even fatal poisonings with plants are very rare. Do not scold, do not upset yourself or your child.
What to do now:
- Give tea, still water or juice to drink, no milk!
- Do not induce vomiting, do not give salt water!
If you catch your child “in the act”, let him spit out any leftovers and show you what he ate. The following points are important:
- What plant has your child swallowed?
- What parts of the plant were eaten?
- Was it just chewed and spit out or swallowed?
- How much was swallowed?
If a poisonous plant was consumed, you are not sure if the plant is poisonous or your child cannot tell how much of it was eaten, call a poison control center – they will give you free information 24 hours a day about how the poison works and what countermeasures you can take. If you don’t know a plant, describe it to the counselor in as much detail as possible (appearance, location, shape, size, arrangement of leaves, color, flowers, fruits).
If your child has unexplained symptoms, also call a poison control center and follow their instructions (e.g., call for an ambulance, drive yourself to the nearest children’s hospital).
Telephone numbers of the appropriate poison control center
- (030) 19 240 – Berlin and Brandenburg
- (0228) 19 240 – North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW)
- (0361) 730 730 – Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia.
- (0761) 19 240 – Baden-Württemberg
- (0551) 19 240 – Lower Saxony, Bremen, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein
- (06841) 19 240 – Saarland
- (06131) 19 240 – Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse
- (089) 19 240 – Bavaria
- (+43) 01-4064343 – Austria
- (+41) 044 251 51 51 – Switzerland
Do not forget to keep a branch / stem with the plant parts (leaves, fruits, flowers) and take to the phone and if necessary to the clinic – this facilitates the plant identification.
Indications of poisoning
Possible symptoms of poisoning are (selection):
- Sudden unexplained fatigue, dizziness, movement disorders, numbness, visual disturbances, convulsions, restlessness, confusion, hallucinations
- Malaise, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea.
- Dry mouth, or increased salivation, swelling of mucous membranes.
- Skin change (itching, redness, pain).
- Respiratory disorders
If you find your child even unconscious (and you have the appropriate suspicion by discoloration around the mouth and on the hands), look into his mouth and get out any remaining substance. Perform immediate life-saving measures and request an ambulance.
