On the Internet, teenagers bite into capsules of liquid detergent on a bet. What to do if your child decided to take part in a dangerous challenge and swallowed household chemicals - doctors advise
For the sake of likes and views on the network, children are ready for completely wild things. For several years now, a dangerous flash mob called the Tide Pod Challenge has been circulating on TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. In their videos with this tag, teens bite through colorful capsules of liquid detergent - for the simple reason that they supposedly look like gummies. Such fun threatens, at best, with toxic poisoning, and at worst, with a burn of the esophagus and expensive hospital treatment. What to do if your child is a victim of a flash mob and wants to repeat it, answers the All-Ukrainian Union of Paramedics.
Over the entire existence of the challenge (and for the first time it was launched in 2018), according to various estimates, from 800 to 1000 children and adolescents aged 8-16 years have been hospitalized in the United States. YouTube regularly monitors and blocks videos of dangerous content, but bloggers still manage to upload them to other channels. Even adults take part in the experiment - this is what most of all inspires the confidence of children.
Unfortunately, children can swallow household chemicals without a flash mob. Often, densely multi-colored bottles with detergents and cleaning agents are in our bathroom, and in the lowest cabinets and almost freely available. As soon as your little one starts crawling and exploring the world, move these attractive containers higher or hide in a drawer that the child cannot open. The composition of these products is incredibly aggressive, and even a small sip of some "propper" or "muscle" can lead to irreversible consequences.
A child can try chemistry just out of curiosity / istockphoto.com
The child swallowed household chemicals: symptoms
According to statistics, every month 15-20 children of all ages are admitted to hospitals. swallowed an aggressive substance. Here are the most common symptoms of toxicity and esophageal burns:
- profuse salivation
- pain when swallowing
- hoarseness of voice
- lethargy and general weakness
- nausea and vomiting
- refusal to eat and water
- rapid and shallow breathing
- increased body temperature
At the same time, the symptoms can not always appear all together.
What to do if the child has swallowed "chemistry"
If you suspect that the child has "tried" household chemicals, immediately call an ambulance or take him to the doctor yourself. But not to the family doctor, but immediately to the children's hospital. Chemical burns of the esophagus is a diagnosis that can only be treated in a hospital setting.
If a child has swallowed chemotherapy, it should only be treated in a hospital / istockphoto.com
Remember that before the arrival of an ambulance or a taxi, it is strictly forbidden to:
- make the child vomit: the chemical will go up the esophagus and cause an even bigger burn
- give a drink: the water will very quickly push the substance even further down the esophagus
- provide sorbents: they can cause foaming and further complicate the situation
All you can do without risking harm to your child is to rinse out his mouth with plain water. However, here you need to act very carefully so that the child spits out this water and in no case swallows.
Please note that burns of 2 and 3 degrees (and the degree is determined only after instrumental examination - endoscopy of the gastrointestinal tract) lead to severe inflammation and severe narrowing of the esophagus. In the future, a child with such a diagnosis is threatened with complete obstruction. To restore the functions of the esophagus, children after a chemical burn need to regularly go to the hospital and undergo medical procedures under general anesthesia.
Therefore, even if the baby's well-being as a whole does not cause any complaints in you, do not leave the problem solution to chance. This is a situation in which it is better to "overlook" than "overlook". Believe that none of the doctors will accuse you of being too suspicious. And in order to avoid trouble, do not just hide household chemicals from the child, but also talk to him about the consequences that may occur when swallowing a substance from an unfamiliar bright bottle.
You will also be interested in reading:
10 dangers in the home for a child who starts to crawl or walk
How to make the kitchen safe for the child: tips for mom
