# Tylenol Overdose



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

My 3 year old grandson was given a dose of T for fever. About 30 minutes later he got into the bottle, about 1/3 full. Don't know how much of it got into him because it was spilled on the floor. His Daddy rushed him to emergency. They said they'd give GS charcoal to absorb the toxins. Great.

One hour later, they send him to another hospital to be kept under surveillance and be given the charcoal.

I could scream. Why didn't they just give him the charcoal immediately, or make him throw up?

My question: any problem with just making him vomit? Kids vomit T because of other reasons without harm. I believe it is only 20 minutes for it to be absorbed, so can you just induce vomiting. I suggested this, but Hospitals know best, you know.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

There is some sort of antidote for Tylenol and they do blood tests to see how much Tylenol is in the system and give more of the antidote if necessary.


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## farmergirl (Aug 2, 2005)

Small amounts (maybe 1/4 cup) of hydrogen peroxide are used orally in pets to induce vomiting. I would imagine that the same could be used in humans. Worth looking into, in case of a future incident such as this.


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## Kellkell (Nov 19, 2004)

The charcoal may not work on liquid medicine. The idea of charcoal is to surround undigested pills and block absorbtion. Danaus is correct that he will need blood work and may need the antidote to tylenol and require close monitoring for awhile which your local hospital may not be capable of doing. 

Even induced vomiting isn't a guarantee that the tylenol hadn't absorbed. Liquid meds get into the system much quicker. The danger is that tylenol is extremely toxic to the liver.


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

Danaus29 said:


> There is some sort of antidote for Tylenol and they do blood tests to see how much Tylenol is in the system and give more of the antidote if necessary.


Mucomyst - acetylcystine generic. Nasty stuff, smells like rotten eggs. But effective.

Maura I agree with you that was stupid. Er's are bad about doing that unfortunately. Pass the buck. And no, no ill effects from vomiting tylenol. Fortunately kids are really resilient. Please update when you get news on how he's doing.

Tylenol is a dangerous drug. I don't keep it in my house. Many many people who have taken it at far less than maximum recommended dosages are showing up with liver failure. That's why all the recent news coverage about it and change in recommended dosage. But we in the healthcare field have known it's dangers for years now - and I'm talking at least 10 years. Information is slow to get out when there are $ at stake for these big companies.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Thanks you guys! I know a caring bunch when I read them.

I know about the liver damage, which is why I don't keep it in my house either. You can double aspirin, double double dose aspirin, but acetometophyn (?) you can't mess with. The real problem with aspirin is giving it when there is a secondary infection after either? measles or chicken pox. This has been known to cause Reyes syndrome. Many doctors even recommend aspirin after making sure what the problem is.

They knew it was liquid (children's yummy flavored) Tylenol. My SIL knew within seconds that the Tylenol was gotten into because it was all over the floor. I suggested he just turn GS upside down and stick a finger down his throat, but they were already in the car. I was thinking keeping a small bottle of syrup of ipecac would be a good idea.

It is now 8:42, they were talking about a four hour stay at the next hospital, that was at 8:00.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Oh no, I hope he is okay.

I'd be having myself a fit with that ER...well, I'd have done it while I was there!


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## ann in tn (Nov 25, 2007)

I do not know about the charcoal for kids but the test for the acetaminophen levels in the blood are done at certain hours long intervals after ingestion in order to see exactly what the level is. They also now have a drug that can be given IV instead of the mucomyst. Mucomyst was hard to get adults to take due to taste and smell, I could not imagine trying to get the proper dose down a small child. Most times when I was giving it in the ER we did it thru a tube to help keep it down.

I hope they find that his levels are low. Poor kid, he is not old enough to understand why all the adults in his life are stressing out.


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## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

National Poison Control Hotline 1-800-222-1222. Your call gets automatically directed to your State Poison Control hotline. I have found them to be very helpful in times like this. 

Hope the little guy is doing OK.


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

Praying he's ok.


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## CarolT (Mar 12, 2009)

DD1, now 31, drank about half a bottle when she was a toddler (never have found out how she got it). They put charcoal down her, and boy, was it hard to do.

I don't think you can buy ipecac any more.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Amazon.com: ipecac syrup


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## mommathea (May 27, 2009)

When my oldest was 3 he got into a bottle of children's or infants I can't remember Ibuprofen. It must be much safer than Tylenol because when I called poison controll the gentleman said that at his age and weight he'd have to drink the entire bottle to have any negative affect. 
I did give him the charcoal as a precaution though.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Thank you all for your support. It is such a relief to come here and get an immediate response.

DGS was taken to the other hospital and put on an IV. They also took blood samples, just like Ann and Danaus said. The staff said they haven't seen such a calm toddler. They expected a lot of whining and crying and carrying on, but he was a trooper. 

He's home now and in bed. Poor guy, first a fever, then dramatics. Thank you all very much!


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## Tricky Grama (Oct 7, 2006)

Oh, prayers & good thoughts, so sorry ALL had to go thru this.

Patty


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

I wasn't much older than your GS when I ate a bottle of chewable baby aspirin. I guess I loved the orange flavor and thought it was candy. BTW, there were no child-proof caps back in those days!

At any rate, my parents rushed me to the clinic and had my stomach pumped out.


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## ronbre (Apr 26, 2009)

just read this, I hope he is ok, please update us


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

Cabin Fever said:


> I wasn't much older than your GS when I ate a bottle of chewable baby aspirin. I guess I loved the orange flavor and thought it was candy. BTW, there were no child-proof caps back in those days!
> 
> At any rate, my parents rushed me to the clinic and had my stomach pumped out.


My MIL likes to tell about the time that my SIL ate a bottle of baby aspirin then blamed in on DH. They took DH to the hospital and SIL panicked all night. Both turned out just fine.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Toddler is fine, other than the virus which gave him the fever. I suspect he got very little of the Tylenol, he spilled it on the floor. I got my head bit off because I'm the one who didn't get the cap on right. From now on, I'll be putting medicines on a cupboard shelf instead of on the counter, which is where DD left it it.


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## piglady (Sep 28, 2006)

with a little one around, I'd get some ipacac to keep on hand just in case.


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## edcopp (Oct 9, 2004)

Lesson learned.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Activated charcoal is a good item to have on hand too.
Poison control would have called for an ambulance.

I'm glad he is ok. Tylenol is some dangerous stuff.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

OH, thank goodness! I am so very glad he is okay.


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## Rockytopsis (Dec 29, 2007)

Maura said:


> Toddler is fine, other than the virus which gave him the fever. I suspect he got very little of the Tylenol, he spilled it on the floor. I got my head bit off because I'm the one who didn't get the cap on right. From now on, I'll be putting medicines on a cupboard shelf instead of on the counter, which is where DD left it it.


I am sorry you got fussed at when DD left it in reach but very very happy to read that GS is OK

Nancy


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