Deodorant poisoning

Definition

This poisoning is due to eating a deodorant.

Poisonous Ingredient

• Ethyl alcohol
• Aluminum salts

Where Found

• Various deodorants

Symptoms

• Unable to walk in a normal manner
• Slurred speech
• No urine output
• Collapse
• Breathing difficulty 
• Burning pain in the throat
• Blurred vision
• Burns to the eye
• Rash
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea (watery, bloody)
• Low blood pressure
• Stupor (lack of alertness)
• Coma

Home Treatment

Seek immediate medical help. 

Give the patient milk or water, unless instructed otherwise by a health care provider. DO NOT give milk or water if the patient is unable to swallow due to convulsions or unconsciousness.

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
• The amount swallowed

Poison Control, or a local emergency number

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the U.S. use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

See National Poison Control center.

What to expect at the emergency room

The health care provider will measure and monitor the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. The patient may receive:

• Fluids by IV
• Medicines to treat symptoms
• Medicines to make the person throw up
• Activated charcoal
• Endoscopy -- the placement of a camera down the throat to see the extent of burns to the esophagus and the stomach
• A nasogastric (NG) tube thru the nose into the stomach to empty the stomach (gastric lavage) 
• Medicines to treat an allergic reaction (diphenhydramine, prednisone, or epinephrine)
• Irrigation (washing of the skin), perhaps every few hours for several days
• Skin debridement (surgical removal of burned skin)

In severe cases, the patient may be admitted to the hospital.

Expectations (prognosis)

Severe poisoning is unlikely. Survival over 24 hours usually means the patient will recover. However, death may occur as late as a week after the poisoning, if a lot of the product was swallowed.