MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Sodium borate overdose

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Sodium borate overdose

Contents of this page:
Alternative names 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)

Alternative names

Borax; Boric Acid; Borates

Definition Return to top

Poisoning from an overdose of sodium borate (borax).

Poisonous Ingredient Return to top

Sodium borate

Where Found Return to top

Antiseptics and astringents
Medicated powders
Skin lotions
Roach powder
Some rodent and ant pesticides
Photographic agents
Some paints
Enamels and glazes
In making glass fibers

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Symptoms Return to top

Body as a whole
- Fever
- Twitching of facial muscles
- Twitching of arms, hands, legs, feet
- Convulsions
- Significantly decreased urine output (or none)
- Collapse
Skin
- Blisters
- A bright red skin rash with skin sloughing in 2-3 days
- Sloughing of skin
Gastrointestinal
- Vomiting -- often blue-green in color
- Diarrhea
Heart and blood vessels
- Low blood pressure
Nervous system
- Drowsiness
- Lack of desire to do anything
- Coma

Home Treatment Return to top

If the chemical is on the skin, remove by washing the area thoroughly.

If the chemical was swallowed, contact Poison Control for instructions.

Before Calling Emergency Return to top

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 Return to top

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 Return to top

Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:

Administer activated charcoal.
Use gastric lavage.
Give liquids by mouth.
Administer dialysis.
Treat the symptoms.

Expectations (prognosis) Return to top

For infants, the death rate from boric acid poisonings is high.

Update Date: 7/31/2003

Updated by: Ari Schwell, M.D., Director, Emergency Department of the Episcopal Campus of Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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