1 in 4 Pediatric Emergency Visits for Poisonings Could Be Handled at Home
When a toddler opens a bottle of melatonin gummies, gets ahold of a birth control pack, or spills a household cleaner, a parent’s immediate instinct is to panic. Many call 911 or head straight to the closest emergency room.
Our new data shows that while panic is completely understandable, it’s often unnecessary. One in four stressful, expensive emergency visits for potential pediatric poisoning could be handled at home with a free, two-minute call to our poison
specialists.
Between January 2023 and September 2026, our pharmacists, nurses, and doctors managed 81,118 potential poisonings in children from birth to age 5. While we safely managed the vast majority (88%) at home, 9,334 children were evaluated in a healthcare facility (a hospital, doctor’s office, or urgent care clinic). Of those in-person visits, our team directly referred 2,700 children to a facility because their symptoms or the substance involved required in-person monitoring and care.
Let’s look at real examples:
- A 16-month-old spilled a bottle of carpet cleaner on herself. Her parents gave her a bath right away, and she continued acting normally. Her parents were still worried, though, so they took her to urgent care almost 2 hours after her unintentional exposure. The clinic called us to double check this specific cleaning product wouldn’t have any delayed effects, and we verified that she could be sent home safely.
- Toddler siblings (2- and 3-years-old) managed to open a bottle of melatonin gummies. Their nanny couldn’t determine how many they had eaten. Even though neither child showed symptoms, she rushed them to the hospital for evaluation. The nurse practitioner called us, and we confirmed that both children could be safely monitored at home. She gave the nanny our phone number, and we followed up with the nanny and parents after 2 hours to make sure they were doing well.
- A 2-year-old got ahold of his mom’s birth control pack and swallowed 4 pills. The providers at the hospital’s emergency department sent the child home after they called us and confirmed the dose posed no danger.
A parent’s instinct is to protect their child, and rushing to in-person care can feel like the safest choice. But the reality is that many unintentional poisonings do not need to be monitored or treated at a healthcare facility. Of the ~9,300 children ages 0-5 years in healthcare facilities we consulted on, 1 in 4 (26.5%) of the visits were unnecessary.
Calling Washington Poison Center saves families hours of stress, expensive medical bills, and crowded waiting rooms. Our Poison Help line is free, confidential, available 24/7, and connects callers directly to expert pharmacists, nurses, and doctors. We answer your call within 22 seconds, giving you the answer you need within minutes. If an in-person visit is needed, we will tell you immediately and coordinate your child’s care with the facility while you are en route so they can be treated promptly and effectively once they arrive.