Toddler Swallowed Powdered Citric Acid!

Updated on May 15, 2011
R.S. asks from Tucson, AZ
18 answers

My 2 year old was investigating what his siblings were playing with (a science kit for kids) when he saw a bright orange powder that looked alot like candy. Before I could grab it, he had half the bottle gone. He was gagging, choking, and almost vomitting. I rinsed his mouth with water, and he seems to be doing fine now, although everything he eats or drinks seems to gag him. I was just wondering if he's going to have any lasting symptoms. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

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So What Happened?

UPDATED AT 9:00 PM.....I am a little taken aback here. Of course I called poison control immediately after I got him rinsed out. I'm a concerned mother, not a Simpleton. They said to stay away from fruit juices, anything salty, anything acidic, (he basically burned his tastebuds), and he will be fine unless he starts to blister and swell. He is doing absolutely fine now, except when he eats, he still cries a little. So I called poison control back and asked how long it would be before he was able to eat like a porker again, and they said it varies. I thought this site was to help other concerned mothers, not to make those who need the help feel like horrible parents. I came looking for anything helpful, seeing how 2 year olds find ways to stick anything in their mouths. Even if we like to pretend we are the most PERFECT mother, accidents happen.

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R.K.

answers from Boston on

http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9923495
But if it were my child I would have called poison control instead of asking on here

Edited: you should have stated you could them then you probably would have gotten other advise besides to call poison control.

5 moms found this helpful
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J.K.

answers from Cleveland on

Oh my goodness, I hope you called poison control! They will be more helpful then any of us.

Good luck.

3 moms found this helpful

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D.P.

answers from Seattle on

Poison control: 1-800-222-1222

5 moms found this helpful
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B.

answers from Augusta on

call poison control

ok look ,why did you ask if you already called someone that is an expert on the matter???????

4 moms found this helpful

S.R.

answers from Kansas City on

I'm suprised and a little shocked that you didn't call Poison Control before you posted here, or did you?

Next time anything like this happens please call them right away.

3 moms found this helpful
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M.S.

answers from Seattle on

I hope you have called eitther poison control or your doctor by now. Medical questions like this don't belong on this site because we aren't professional medical experts. Hope your 2 year old is ok.

3 moms found this helpful
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M.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

definitelly call poison control

3 moms found this helpful

A.G.

answers from Houston on

poison control, although that sounds harmless, one time my daughter ate a bag of silica gel, you know those packets inside purses and shoes that say "do not eat" on them. Well poison control was a big help when i called, they informed me that those are not toxic and are merely like baking soda infused pellets to remove odor. They say "do not eat" because they are considered a choking hazard if they were to clump together somehow. Poison control employees are basically just sitting there waiting on calls like yours, with access to a large database of information. They will even call ahead to your local hospital if the ingestion is that serious.

3 moms found this helpful
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R..

answers from Chattanooga on

Have the kit with you when you call poison control, they may want to know the ingredients of the stuff or need other info.

2 moms found this helpful
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R.M.

answers from Chicago on

I'm glad everything is ok.

Your post made it look like you were just asking moms here, not consulting with poison control. That's why everybody said to call them. So please don't be upset by their responses. Before I read your "what happened" I was a bit freaked out myself by your post!

1 mom found this helpful
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D.P.

answers from Tucson on

Too much of anything is not good. I am glad you called poison control and found out how to treat the burned taste buds. Everyone makes mistakes, I am glad that it was a minor thing that happened. I can say my sons got into our vitamin C and ate the whole bottle between the 2 of them. We had a talk with them about only taking 1 a day and my sons had diarrhea for several days following. We do have everything on a high shelf in a cupboard with a latch, but when they get tall enough to reach that latch and that upper shelving unit. My oldest is 10 and my youngest is 5. We had a talk about what could have happened if they chose one of the other medicines in the cupboard instead of the Vitamin C. Now they won't touch anything unless we give it to them. It is harder with a 2 year old though. You can't keep everything away from them all the time. Don't beat yourself over the head, just be glad he chose the least dangerous of the things in the kit to put in his mouth. I do not think you are a bad Mom, you just had something happen that most others haven't had happen to them yet. Take care and have a good day!!

D. P.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.R.

answers from Phoenix on

OK, everyone said call poison control....

But, citric acid is just chemical Vitamin C...it is water soluble so it's good that you rinsed with water. Otherwise, quite harmless.

1 mom found this helpful

M.P.

answers from Provo on

I agree with the other moms with poison control. I feel touched that you trust us enough to ask us. But I don't think it would be to harmful since citric acid is in just about every processed food out there. But a high concentration of it could be harmful.
Let us know how it goes with him!!!

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A..

answers from Kansas City on

Uhhh, shouldn't you be calling poison control??

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A.M.

answers from Phoenix on

Not sure if anyone suggested this but try feeding him soft foods (even mashed and shakes) so it doesn't hurt so much when he eats. Sorry I know how scary it can be but glad he'll be ok.

K.B.

answers from Milwaukee on

Poison Contorl would be the best place to call. You can tell what kit it is from, what it is and they can walk through what to do. Water can actaully be a very bad thing to add to many chemicals, and could make the issues worse.

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S.S.

answers from Cincinnati on

Since you already called poision control there is really nothing more you can do but take there advise and wait. This happens. My cousin ate Methaline blue out of my chemistry set when he was 3 because he thought it was a pixie stick and he was fine, but my parents still have blue stains on the stairs.

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J.L.

answers from Phoenix on

Call the poison control number asap. Good luck.

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