A three-year-old child was rushed to the Mother and Child Institute in Chisinau after this swallowed rat poison. The parents told the doctors that they didn’t see when the child found the poison and ingested some of it.

Victor Scarevnea, head of the Emergencies Department, has told IPN that the child didn’t swallow much poison, but this anyway suffered positioning and inflammation of the mucous membrane. Specialists warn that the substances that pose a threat to the health and life of children can be colored and thus arouse the kids’ curiosity. To avoid such dangers, these must be kept in places that are inaccessible to children.

Rat poison is very dangerous because it contains an anti-clotting substance that can cause hemorrhage. If the dose is high, the consequences can be fatal.

Last spring, a four-year-old child died, while another one aged seven was admitted to the intensive care section after they ingested an insecticide they found in their grandmother’s house. Doctors recommend the grownups to hide or lock insecticides, rat poison, detergents, fuels, paint and other noxious substances so that the children do not find them.

The adults must be vigilant and must not leave the kids unsupervised at least for a second. In serious cases, they should not resort to self-medication and should consult a doctor until the ambulance arrives. Meanwhile, they can also contact the TOXAPEL service on 022.555.220. This service provides telephonic medical assistance to parents and doctors in cases of child poisoning.

Additional information about how the child can be protected is available at www.parinti.md and can be also obtained by following the activities of the information campaigns to prevent home accidents involving children carried out within the REPEMOL (Regionalization of the Pediatric Emergency and Intensive Care Services in the Republic of Moldova) Project that is financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and is implemented by the Center for Health Policies and Services.