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Warning-sign checks

Grass and weed killer poisoning: when to get help

Go through these in order and stop at the first one that applies. If you are reading this for someone else, answer for them.

  1. 1

    Is any of this happening now?

    Call 911

    Call emergency services now if there is:

    • Trouble breathing, blue or grey lips, or severe coughing
    • Collapse, loss of consciousness, confusion, or a seizure
    • Severe mouth or throat burns, drooling, or inability to swallow
    • Repeated vomiting, vomiting blood, or severe abdominal pain
    • Very little urine, extreme weakness, or rapidly worsening symptoms
    • A known or possible paraquat ingestion
    • An intentional ingestion

    In the United States, call 911 for emergency symptoms and Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for immediate poison advice.

    Elsewhere, contact your local emergency service or poison centre.

    Routine follow-up is different from emergency care.

    Keep scheduled appointments after hospital treatment, and report new breathlessness, reduced urine, ongoing swallowing difficulty, or symptoms that return after initially improving.

    And for anyone, someone who:

    • you believe has taken an overdose or swallowed something poisonous
    Other emergency signs, for anyone
    • Someone who is struggling to breathe, gasping, choking, or cannot get words out
    • Someone who has chest pain, tightness or pressure lasting more than a few minutes
    • Someone who has sudden weakness or drooping on one side of the face or body, slurred speech, or sudden confusion
    • Someone who is unconscious, or cannot be woken
    • Someone who is bleeding heavily and it will not stop with firm pressure
    • Someone who has had a seizure that will not stop, or does not wake up afterwards
    • Someone who has lips or skin that look pale, blue, grey or blotchy
  2. 2

    Is any of this happening?

    Be seen today

    Contact a poison centre immediately after any swallowed herbicide exposure, even if there are no symptoms.

    Do the same after a concentrated eye exposure, a large skin exposure, or significant inhalation of spray.

    Persistent rash, pain, eye redness, blurred vision, cough, vomiting, or dizziness needs same-day medical assessment.

The article also says

For skin contact without symptoms, remove contaminated clothing, wash thoroughly, and contact a poison centre for product-specific advice.

Every sign above is quoted from the sofidex article on Grass and weed killer poisoning. If you are not sure, err upward — it is always reasonable to be checked.