Hydrocarbon Poisoning
Petroleum products, cleaning products, and glues contain hydrocarbons (substances composed largely of hydrogen and carbon). Many children younger than age 5 are poisoned by swallowing petroleum products, such as gasoline, kerosene, and paint thinners, but most recover. At greater risk are teenagers who intentionally breathe the fumes of these products to become intoxicated, a type of drug abuse called huffing, sniffing, glue sniffing, or volatile substance use (see Section 7, Chapter 108).
Swallowed hydrocarbons can enter and irritate the lungs, a serious condition in itself (chemical pneumonitis), and can lead to severe pneumonia. Lung involvement is a particular problem with thin, easy-flowing hydrocarbons such as mineral seal oil, which is used in furniture polish. Serious poisoning also can affect the brain, heart, bone marrow, and kidneys.
Symptoms
A person usually coughs and chokes after swallowing hydrocarbons. A burning sensation can develop in the stomach, and the person may vomit. If the lungs are affected, the person continues to cough intensely; breathing becomes rapid, and the skin may become bluish (cyanosis) because of low levels of oxygen in the blood.
Hydrocarbon ingestion also produces neurologic symptoms, including drowsiness, poor coordination, stupor or coma, and seizures. Inhalation of hydrocarbons may induce fatal irregular heartbeats or cardiac arrest, especially after exertion or stress.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Hydrocarbon poisoning is diagnosed based on a description of the events and the characteristic odor of petroleum on the person's breath. Pneumonia and chemical pneumonitis are diagnosed with a chest x-ray and by measuring the level of oxygen in the blood (see Section 4, Chapter 39).
To treat poisoning, contaminated clothing should be removed, and the skin should be washed. If the person has stopped coughing and choking, particularly if the ingestion was small and accidental, treatment at home is possible. This should be discussed with someone at a poison center. People with breathing problems are hospitalized. If pneumonia or chemical pneumonitis develops, hospital treatment can include oxygen, and, if severe, a ventilator. Antibiotics help if pneumonia develops. Recovery from pneumonia typically takes about a week.
|
