When it comes to poisonings, misinformation online is too frequently trusted.
Studies have compared frequently-used web sites to the Poisindex commonly used by poison centers. The result? Authors found that Wikipedia did not provide all necessary information in all categories for 21 of 22 evaluated items. No entries mentioned poison centers or provided the poison emergency numbers. Also, there was only one update during a 12-month period.
When it comes to medical emergencies, Dr. James Mowry, the director of the Indiana Poison Control Center, said it’s always best to contact a professional.
“There is a lot of misinformation on the Internet, and people could be harmed,” he said.
In the event of a child being poisoned, parents can panic and not know the best course of action. The benefit of calling the nationwide poison emergency number at (800) 222-1222 is that people talk to a real expert immediately rather than having to search the internet. The expert advice could help prevent a situation from escalating.
“The people at the poison center are experts; it’s all they do,” Barbara Cole, the coordinator for poison prevention at the Indiana Poison Prevention Center, said. “I’m amazed on a daily basis by how professional they are. They have the ability to calm down people immediately.”
In addition to knowing the poison control number, Cole said families need to lock up, not just put away, medicines and cleaning materials and overall just be on the side of caution.
If someone is not breathing, having a seizure or is unconscious, call 911 before calling the (800) 222-1222. However if someone is still conscious, do not hesitate to call the poison control number, even if you are unsure whether or not someone has ingested poison.
“Read labels, follow directions and if you have any doubt, call immediately,” Cole said.
