Bug sprays

Home treatment:

for kerosene:

• DO NOT INDUCE EMESIS (VOMITING).

for potassium chlorate:

• Standard procedure is to dilute with milk or water unless the patient is unconscious or experiencing convulsions. Contact Poison Control for further guidance.
• DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING.

Before calling emergency:

Determine the following information:

• the patient's age, weight, and condition
• the name of the product (ingredients and strengths if known)
• the time it was swallowed or inhaled
• the amount swallowed or inhaled

Poison Control, or a local emergency number:

They will instruct you if it is necessary to take the patient to the hospital. See Poison Control centers for telephone numbers and addresses. Take the container with you to the emergency room.

What to expect at the emergency room:

Some or all of the following procedures may be performed.
for kerosene:

• Induce emesis (This should only be done under the health care provider's supervision. Extreme care must be taken to prevent any kerosene from getting into the lungs while the patient is vomiting.
• Administer activated charcoal.
• Use gastric lavage.
• Administer a cathartic (bowel evacuator).
• Treat the symptoms.

for potassium chlorate:

• Establish and maintain an airway.
• Administer activated charcoal.
• Use gastric lavage.
• Treat the symptoms.

Expectations (prognosis):

For kerosene, the amount of damage to the lungs seems to dictate the length of time for recovery, if the patient survives the first 24 hours.

For potassium chlorate, recovery will normally occur if the symptoms were mild or no longer present after 12 hours. Death can occur as late as 1 week after ingestion in more serious cases.