Researchers found that about 65% of young children in the study likely didn’t need emergency department evaluation.
Many cases involved children who swallowed substances that weren’t toxic or could be safely monitored at home.
Poison Control is available for free, 24/7, at 1-800-222-1222 for suspected poisonings.
\When a young child gets into something they shouldn’t, heading straight to the emergency room may seem like the safest option. But new research from Rutgers suggests that, in many cases, parents may have another resource they can turn to first: poison control.
The study found that about 65% of young children who went to New Jersey emergency departments after suspected poison exposures probably didn’t need emergency care. Instead, their situations could potentially have been handled at home with guidance from poison control experts.
The researchers say the findings also highlight a persistent awareness issue. Even though poison centers have been available for decades, families may not realize they can call for guidance before going to the hospital.
“A big takeaway from the paper is that more needs to be done to make sure parents, schools and communities know the poison center is a resource they can turn to when a poisoning is suspected,” researcher Liam McLoughlin said in a news release.
“The poison center is available 24/7, 365, and is staffed by amazing people who can provide life-saving information by phone at no cost. A quick call could save huge amounts of time, money, and stress while also easing pressure on a busy emergency department.”
How the researchers studied the cases
The researchers looked at 1,436 cases reported to the New Jersey Poison Control Center by emergency departments across the state in 2022. The cases involved children younger than 6 who had unintentionally been exposed to a potentially poisonous substance and whose caregivers had not contacted the poison center before arriving at the hospital.
From those cases, the researchers randomly selected 348 for closer review. Two toxicologists independently evaluated each case based on information that could have been provided over the phone, including the child's age, the suspected substance, and a brief description of what happened.
They then assessed whether the child actually needed to be evaluated in an emergency department.
What the results mean for parents
The toxicologists determined that 38% of the children definitely didn't need emergency evaluation, while another 27% probably didn't.
Many of the cases involved children who had swallowed substances that weren't toxic or could have been safely monitored at home. Symptoms such as fever or vomiting were the only factors that significantly increased the reviewers' concern.
For parents, the researchers say the findings underscore the value of knowing the Poison Control number before an accident happens. The service is free and available 24 hours a day, every day, anywhere in the U.S., at 1-800-222-1222.
“Don’t rely on online searches or AI-generated answers,” McLoughlin said. “Trust the poison center experts standing by. Help is just a phone call away.”
There is one important exception: If a child is unresponsive or having trouble breathing, parents should call 911. For other suspected poisonings, a quick call to poison control can connect families with experts who can help determine what to do next.