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Warning-sign checks

Starch 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 immediately if the person:

    • Cannot breathe, speak, or cough effectively
    • Has blue or grey lips, collapses, or is difficult to wake
    • Has a seizure or severe confusion
    • Develops severe breathing difficulty
    • Has intense or rapidly worsening abdominal pain

    Call emergency services rather than a poison centre when there is severe breathing trouble, collapse, or another immediately life-threatening symptom.

    This is different from emergency care and can usually be discussed at a planned appointment.

    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

    Urgent medical assessment is also needed for repeated vomiting, a very swollen abdomen, inability to pass stool or gas, blood in vomit or stool, or persistent coughing after choking.

    Contact a poison centre promptly after someone swallows laundry starch, spray starch, craft starch, an industrial product, or a product with unknown ingredients.

    Call even if symptoms have not started.

    A poison specialist can use the label and amount to advise whether home observation is appropriate.

  3. 3

    Does any of this apply?

    Book an appointment

    Arrange routine follow-up if abdominal symptoms do not settle, breathing symptoms continue after an exposure, or you repeatedly crave and eat uncooked starch.

The article also says

In the United States, Poison Help is available at 1-800-222-1222.

Elsewhere, contact your local poison information service.

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