Natural remedies could provide great relief to some ailments—some of them even have centuries-old pedigree—but if you’re the kind of parent ever-eager to explore alternative methods of treating afflictions, you need to be careful of this one thing.
Natural oils.
A Tennessee poison center reported that more and more kids are at risk for accidental poisoning from essential oils—either by ingestion or improper dosing.
According to a Health Day report, the number of children exposed to toxic oils used in aromatic and homeopathic products (most of which are plant-based) shot up twice-fold between 2011 and 2015.
Just because they’re natural doesn’t mean they’re strictly safe.
“The rule of thumb in toxicology is ‘the dose makes the poison,’ so all essential oils are potentially harmful,” said Dr. Justin Loden, a certified specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Tennessee Poison Center.
He added: “In children, poisoning typically occurs when they try to swallow the oil, but choke so that a little of it goes into the lungs, which causes pneumonia; it only takes less than half a teaspoonful to do that.”
Meanwhile a Parent article highlights the other types of essential oils that parents should be wary of, some of which includes camphor, clove, lavender, eucalyptus, thyme, tea tree, and wintergreen oils.
Using the right amount of these oils is the difference between life and death.
Another way children get in contact with these oils is when a diffuser is used; they start thinking that because they smell good, they must be edible.
These oils should therefore be stored in cabinets children can’t access, cabinets that also have locks.
Skinnier kids can also absorb these oils faster than adults.
Typical signs of poisoning include agitation, hallucinations, seizures, chemical burns, breathing problems, liver failure, and brain swelling. If you suspect that your child have been poisoned, immediately call emergency hotline.
READ: Prevention + First Aid For Accidental Poisoning
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