My baby ate a cigarette butt!!!!1 - Children's Health Message Board

kelleyms · 04-07-2001, 03:13 PM

Is this dangerous? I got some of it out of her mouth. As soon as it happened I gave her whole milk. My mother always told me that if you think that your child may be poisoned to give them milk to help induce vomiting. Well nothing happend. What can I do, besides put the ashtrays away? Should I be worried?

ANP · 04-07-2001, 08:47 PM

You may be right to be concerned. Someone once told me (actually this was just 2 weeks ago)that cigg butts contain a small trace of sianide, and it can be very harmful to babies if swallowed. ( I have a 2 yr. old and 5 mo. old twins, the person told me this because my 2 yr. old was reaching for the ashtray). I believe her because she is a nurse, and has no reason to lie (because she's my mom). Anyway, maybe you should check with your doctor just to be safe. I am not sure about the milk thing, never knew it would induce vommitting. Learn something new everyday. Hope all goes well.
ANP

~mandy~ · 04-10-2001, 04:07 AM

cigerettes are very toxic to children. How long ago was it? if it happens again you should call poison control and don't give her anything unless they advise you to. With some poisons you are suposed to drink milk, but thats only to help neutralize whatever they ingested not to induce vomiting. If your child eats/drinks something that they shouldn't have the first thing you should do is call poison control and see what to do from there. NEVER give them anything untill your sure it's ok, you could end up doing more damage.
Back to the cigerettes, keep them very far out of reach. You may want to call your doctor just for some reasurance (especially if she ate a lot). My son got ahold of a cigerette when he was a baby, luckly we got all/most of it out of his mouth and he didn't get sick or anything, but he only ate a tiny amount. I wouldn't worry unless she ate a lot of it, a little might make her a bit sick, but it certinly isn't life threatening.

Lisa/Tx · 04-13-2001, 04:22 PM

I ate an ashtray full when I was about that age, threw up on my own, and was fine.

I don't know where you came up with milk inducing vomiting. If it did that no one would drink it. It can be used to neutralize caustic substances that you don't want to come back up and cause more damage as they come out.

Syrup of Ipecac is used to induce vomiting to get out non-caustic things that you do want out. Every household with children should have a bottle and the number of poison control, so you can find out whether or not you want them to throw it up.