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Warning-sign checks

Wax 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 someone:

    • Is choking or cannot breathe normally
    • Has blue, grey, or unusually pale lips or skin
    • Collapses, has a seizure, or cannot be awakened
    • Has severe breathing difficulty after inhaling fumes or smoke
    • Has a major burn, an electrical or chemical burn, or a burn involving the face or airway

    Routine follow-up is reasonable if mild digestive, skin, or breathing symptoms are not settling as expected, even when no emergency signs are present.

    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

    Get urgent medical or poison-service advice if there is repeated vomiting, increasing abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, inability to pass stool or gas, persistent coughing, wheezing, chest pain, or shortness of breath.

    Urgent advice is also appropriate after swallowing a large or unknown amount, or when the product contains lamp oil, kerosene, solvents, concentrated essential oils, or unidentified ingredients.

    Eye pain, blurred vision, continuing redness, or wax stuck in the eye needs prompt assessment.

    A deep, blistered, infected, or slow-healing burn should also be examined.

The article also says

A small swallow of plain candle or crayon wax without symptoms can often be managed with poison-service advice and observation at home.

In the United States, Poison Control is available at 1-800-222-1222 or through webPOISONCONTROL.

Elsewhere, use your local poison information service.[2]

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