A mother of a young child enters the kitchen and finds the child on th

A mother of a young child enters the kitchen and finds the child on the floor. There is a bottle of cleanser next to the child and particles of the substance around the child’s mouth. The parent’s first action should be to:

1. Call the Poison Control unit
2. Provide ipecac syrup
3. Check the child’s airway and breathing
4. Remove the particles of cleanser from the mouth

ANSWER

ANS: 3
The first action is to assess for airway patency, breathing, and circulation. After checking the child’s airway, breathing, and circulation, the parent should remove any particles of cleanser from the mouth. The parent should identify the type and amount of substance ingested and then call the Poison Control unit. The parent should only administer ipecac syrup if instructed to induce vomiting by the Poison Control unit. Administering ipecac is not the parent’s first action. Re-moving the particles of cleanser is not the parent’s first action. The parent may do so after as-sessing the child’s airway, breathing, and circulation.