We get some crazy calls here at the IPC, including some that are a little gross—such as when someone has eaten a BUG. I’m a cold-weather person for a number of reasons, one of which is there are considerably fewer bugs around in winter. Warm weather means a greater chance of a run in with … more
Much of the population is familiar with the common sun protection methods, could your daily medications put you at risk for becoming sunburned instead of sun-kissed? In Illinois, the cold, harsh winter season is quickly coming to a close, and the long-awaited sunshine is just around the corner. Let me tell you what, I am … more
Sixty years ago, on February 7, 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed Proclamation 3449 declaring the observation of the very first National Poison Prevention Week (NPPW) beginning on March 18th that year. Legislation passed by Congress in 1961 called on the President to designate the third week of March as NPPW. The objective was to … more
Esperamos que haya disfrutado de nuestra maratón de blogs de Un día en la vida del centro contra intoxicaciones. Esos casos representan solo un día aquí en IPC; lo que se traduce en casi 80.000 personas a las que ayudamos cada año en Illinois. Es de esperar que después de leer estos casos de ejemplo, se … more
Midwesterners wait all year for summer—and now it’s in full swing! Before you embrace what nature has to offer, check out our list of what’s harmless and what should only be admired from afar!
Welcome to the third installment of our “Is it toxic?” plant blog series. Since there aren’t too many winter plants blooming outside in Illinois this time of year, we will be focusing on indoor holiday plants. While plant and berry ingestions are more commonly reported to the IPC in spring, summer and early fall, we … more
The weather in Illinois is getting cooler (much to my personal delight), and while some of the familiar summer blooms are fading away, mother nature has a whole new act for autumn. Some of the more classic toxic plants are in their prime this time of year. Very Toxic: If someone has swallowed any of … more
The weather is getting warmer, the butterflies are out in full force and peeks of green are appearing in Illinois after a long, cold winter. One of the things spring brings to the IPC is an increase in exposures to plants. Usually, it’s a child who tasted a colorful flower or sampled a tasty-looking berry; … more
Your emergency department patient ingested an unknown amount of an unidentified over-the-counter analgesic. Your toddler took a bite out of your deodorant stick. You accidentally took your mother’s heart medication instead of your allergy medicine. Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters! Oops, wrong blog. Let’s try that again. Who you gonna call? The Illinois Poison Center … more
You know that taking too much medication is dangerous. But did you realize that abruptly stopping a medication after taking it regularly can be just as dangerous?
Here at the IPC, we get a lot of interesting calls. The first time I tell someone what I do for a living, one of the usual questions I get is, “what was the craziest case you’ve ever had?” It is hard to choose just one, but what sticks in my memory most are the … more
There are just way too many “My Child Ate…” scenarios for us to write about! However here are a few honorable mentions that didn’t quite make the “My Child Ate…” series but are just as important: “My Child Ate… The Dog’s Food” Although it might be uberly gross to discover that your child has forgone … more
Welcome to the IPC’s second installment of the “my child ate…” blog series. Last week Mike explored the dangers of prescription medications, and this week I am going to talk about stuff kids eat that is really, really gross. Like poop, for example. Do kids really eat poop, you may ask? They sure do. All … more
This time of year, the Illinois Poison Center’s call volume starts to increase for a variety of reasons. One of those reasons has to do with the use of pesticides in the home. Here are the top 5 most frequently asked questions about insecticides: 1. Can I use outdoor-use pesticides inside the house if I … more
It’s almost Thanksgiving, so this week’s blog will focus on what’s really important this time of year: Food! We’ve already written about food poisoning, so this time let’s talk about poisoned food. If you’ve read or heard any of the IPC’s poison prevention tips, then you know some of the most important ones are: Do not … more
Half of the calls received by the IPC involve kids under the age of 6. Young children are naturally curious and explore their environments by touching and putting things into their mouths. They learn by imitation, their taste buds are immature and they do not understand cause and effect. Plus they are just small, so … more
