If someone swallows poison, call the Poison Help line immediately at 1-800-222-1222. This free, 24/7 hotline connects you to your local poison control center, where a specialist will tell you exactly what to do based on what was swallowed, how much, and the person’s age and weight. If the person is unconscious, having seizures, or not breathing, call 911 first.
Those two phone calls are the most important actions you can take. Everything else depends on the type of substance, the person’s condition, and what the poison control specialist or 911 dispatcher tells you.
What to Do in the First Few Minutes
Stay calm and act quickly, but don’t guess at treatments. Your job is to gather information, make the right call, and keep the person safe until help arrives. Here’s the sequence:
- Check responsiveness. Is the person awake, alert, and breathing normally? If they’re unconscious or struggling to breathe, call 911 immediately.
- Identify the substance. Find the container, bottle, or packaging if you can. The poison control specialist will ask what was swallowed, roughly how much, and when it happened.
- Call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222. If the person is conscious and stable, this is your first call. The specialist will walk you through exactly what to do next.
- Follow their instructions precisely. You may be told to head to the emergency room, monitor at home, or take a specific action like giving small sips of water.
Do not wait for symptoms to appear before calling. Many poisons take time to cause visible harm, and early intervention makes a significant difference in outcomes.
What Not to Do
The instinct to “get the poison out” is strong, but inducing vomiting is one of the most dangerous things you can do. Both the American Association of Poison Control Centers and the American Academy of Pediatrics no longer recommend using syrup of ipecac or any other method to force vomiting in children or adults. There is no good evidence it helps, and it often causes additional harm. Vomiting can push a caustic substance back through the throat, cause aspiration into the lungs, or trigger dangerous changes in heart rhythm depending on what was swallowed.
Other things to avoid:
- Don’t give activated charcoal on your own. Hospitals use activated charcoal as a treatment for certain types of poisoning, but it should only be administered under the direction of a medical professional. Using it at home without guidance can cause choking or mask symptoms that doctors need to evaluate.
- Don’t give food or large amounts of liquid unless poison control tells you to. For certain caustic substances that burn the throat, a small amount of water or milk may be recommended, but only if the person is fully alert and able to swallow without difficulty.
- Don’t try home remedies. Saltwater, mustard, raw eggs, and other folk treatments for poisoning have no evidence behind them and can make things worse.
If the Person Is Unconscious
Call 911 right away. While waiting for paramedics, place the person in the recovery position to keep their airway open and prevent choking if they vomit. Kneel beside them, extend their closer arm straight out, and place the back of their far hand against their near cheek. Bend their far knee, then gently roll them toward you using that knee as a lever. Tilt their head slightly upward so air can flow freely. This position allows fluids to drain from the nose and throat instead of being inhaled into the lungs.
Do not put anything in their mouth. Do not attempt CPR unless they stop breathing entirely and you have training. If they are having seizures, move hard or sharp objects away but do not try to restrain them.
How to Recognize Poisoning
Sometimes you won’t witness the ingestion. Children, especially toddlers, get into things quietly. In adults, an intentional overdose may not be disclosed right away. Knowing the physical signs can help you act faster.
Common indicators include pupils that are unusually large or unusually small, excessive drooling or an extremely dry mouth, burns or redness around the lips and mouth, breath that smells like chemicals, and chemical stains on clothing or skin. Nausea, vomiting, confusion, drowsiness, and difficulty breathing are also red flags. Any combination of these symptoms in someone who had access to medications, cleaning products, or other toxic substances warrants an immediate call to poison control or 911.
What Happens at the Hospital
If poison control or paramedics send the person to the emergency room, the medical team will focus on three things: stabilizing vital signs, preventing further absorption of the toxin, and administering an antidote if one exists for that particular substance.
You can expect the team to ask detailed questions about what was swallowed, the approximate amount, and when it happened. Bring the container or packaging with you if possible. For some poisons, blood and urine tests help confirm the substance and guide treatment. Depending on the situation, the hospital may use activated charcoal to absorb remaining toxin in the stomach, provide IV fluids to support circulation, or give specific medications that counteract the poison’s effects. Most people who reach the hospital promptly after a poisoning recover fully.
Substances That Require Immediate 911 Calls
While any poisoning warrants a call to poison control, certain substances are especially dangerous and often require emergency room treatment regardless of the amount swallowed. These include drain cleaners, oven cleaners, and other caustic products containing strong acids or alkalis. Button batteries are a surgical emergency in children. Prescription medications like opioids, heart medications, and antidepressants can be life-threatening even in small amounts when taken by the wrong person, particularly a child. Antifreeze and methanol are also in this high-risk category.
For these substances, call 911 alongside poison control. Don’t wait to see if symptoms develop.
Keeping the Information You Need Handy
Save 1-800-222-1222 in your phone right now. The Poison Help line is free, confidential, available 24 hours a day, and staffed by nurses, pharmacists, and toxicologists. About 70% of poisoning cases they handle are resolved over the phone without a trip to the emergency room. Having the number ready saves critical minutes when they matter most.