Call 911 right away if the person:

• has collapsed (is unconscious)
• has severe pain in the chest
• is having trouble breathing
• shows other life-threatening signs 

Follow these basic steps at the first sign of a poisoning:

If the person inhaled poison

Get to fresh air right away. Call the Poison Help line at: 1‑800‑222‑1222

If the person has poison on the skin

Take off any clothing the poison touched. Rinse skin with running water for 15 to 20 minutes. Call the Poison Help line at: 1‑800‑222‑1222

If the person has poison in the eyes

Rinse eyes with running water for 15 to 20 minutes. Call the Poison Help line at: 1‑800‑222‑1222

When you call the SC Poison Center for toxicologic information, the staff will request specific details about the exposure. This data is entered into a confidential national database for tracking of poisoning exposures.

Whenever possible, prepare to provide the poison information specialist with the following information:

• Patient’s age and weight
• Name of substance involved or product information (from the original container if available)
• Time and route of exposure with estimated amounts involved
• Symptoms
• Relevant medical history including current medications and allergies
• Therapy already initiated
• Laboratory results (if available from the health care facility)
• Telephone number

Some of this information may be unavailable at the time of your initial call. Our staff can still offer general management recommendations based on the information available.

The Poison Information Specialist will provide follow-up calls, if indicated, to update recommendations and provide ongoing advice should circumstances change or more information become available. Likewise, a caller may re-contact the PPC if clinical conditions change or if they have additional poisoning questions.

Epidemiologic data collection is another important role of the SC Poison Center. By contacting the SCPC whenever caring for patients accidentally or intentionally exposed to potential toxins, you are providing important injury data collection to the America's Poison Centers along with the Centers for Disease Control. Data sent to the American Association of Poison Control Centers is included in their annual statistical profile of the national incidence and outcome of poisonings published annually in Clinical Toxicology. Poison center data collection represents one of the oldest and most detailed injury surveillance systems in the world. All information is confidential.