A malfunctioning heating system in a Chisinau suburban household killed a man and caused his 5-year-old son to fall into a coma.

Dr. Ana Oglinda, head of the intensive care department at the Mother&Child Center, has told IPN the boy was admitted in an extremely serious condition, in a coma caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. While his current state has improved, exposure to carbon monoxide may leave irreversible traces.

Fire safety specialists advise people to be cautious when using stoves and other heating installations. Stoves must be checked and cleared regularly and especially ahead of the cold season. Other heating systems, such as those powered by gas, must be verified by specialists only and children must be kept away. During the day, spaces should be ventilated and the fire in stoves shouldn't be left to burn overnight.

Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas that upon inhalation causes a state of dizziness and confusion, sometimes headaches, and which can be lethal in higher doses. When symptoms occur of carbon monoxide poisoning, it is important to ventilate the area and call the ambulance immediately. Victims must be taken to fresh air as fast as possible and their clothes should be loosened around the neck and chest to ease breathing. If the victim passes out, the helper must make sure nothing obstructs his or her airways. Even if the victim feels fine after getting poisoned, he or she still should see a doctor to avoid more serious consequences.

When children get poisoned, the parents must act promptly. Before the paramedics arrive, they can consult a specialist by calling the help line TOXAPEL – 022.555.220. This is a service created specifically for cases of intoxication among children to provide advice on first aid to parents and doctors.

Further information about how children can be protected in various situations is available at www.parinti.md how to protect the child is available on www.parinti.md and can be also found out by following the information campaigns centering on the prevention of accidents involving children carried out within the REPEMOL (Regionalization of Pediatric Emergency and Intensive Care Service in Moldova) Project that is financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and implemented by the Foundation of the Center for Health Policies and Services.