MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Fertilizers and household plant foods

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Fertilizers and household plant foods

Contents of this page:
Definition Poisonous Ingredient Where Found Symptoms Home Treatment	Before Calling Emergency Poison Control, or a local emergency number What to expect at the emergency room Expectations (prognosis)

Definition

Plant fertilizers are mildly toxic (usually vomiting and diarrhea) in small doses, though larger doses can be harmful to children and skin exposure may cause severe burns.

Poisonous Ingredient

nitrates
nitrites

Where Found

various fertilizers

Symptoms

skin
- redness
- itching
- burning
gastrointestinal
- stomach upset
- stomach pain

Home Treatment

Call the Poison Control center for guidance. DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING UNLESS INSTRUCTED TO DO SO! Give milk or water to dilute the poison. Wash from the skin or eyes.

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

They will instruct you if it is necessary to take the patient to the hospital. See Poison Control centers for telephone numbers and addresses. Take the container with you to the emergency room.

What to expect at the emergency room

Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:

Dilute with fluids.
Treat the symptoms.

Expectations (prognosis)

The ultimate outcome depends on how much was ingested, how soon it was diluted, and how soon proper medical care was administered. Fertilizers are unlikely to cause serious harm unless burns or an allergic reaction occur.

Update Date: 4/16/2004

Updated by: Cherlin Johnson, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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