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If someone needs immediate help with corrosive ingestion, use emergency mode.
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DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person swallowed battery acid, toilet cleaner, drain opener, or another corrosive — mouth or throat may be burned.
The essentials if you need to act right now.
Call 112 and Poison Control. NEVER make them vomit. Save the bottle.
What might I see? Observable signs — no diagnosis required.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Burns or pain around mouth; drooling; difficulty swallowing.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Hoarse voice, coughing, vomiting blood, or chest pain.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Empty bottle of acid, bleach, or drain cleaner.
Optional deeper explanation — not required to act.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Acids and alkalis burn the throat and stomach. Vomiting brings corrosive fluid back up and destroys the airway again.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Burns may not show on the outside — internal injury can be severe.
Check the scene before you approach.
Civilian-safe actions you can take.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Call 112 and Poison Control. Say corrosive ingestion.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Keep container. Read exact product name to operator.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Follow Poison Control only. Do not give anything by mouth unless they say so.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Keep person upright if awake and breathing well; on side if vomiting spontaneously.
When and how to get professional help.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Identify what was taken, call Poison Control and emergency services, and follow their instructions. Do not guess treatments.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Call 112 and Poison Control. Say: "Swallowed corrosive — acid/alkali. NOT inducing vomiting."
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Give product name, amount, time, and mouth burn signs.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — All corrosive ingestions need emergency endoscopy and airway monitoring.
Dangerous actions, when not to attempt rescue, and common myths.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — NEVER induce vomiting for corrosives — causes fatal airway burns.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT give neutralizing agents (vinegar for alkali, etc.) — causes heat and more damage.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT force large amounts of water unless instructed.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — You should make someone vomit after swallowing acid to get it out
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Vomiting corrosive fluid re-injures the esophagus and airway. This can be immediately fatal.
Other scenarios in the same family.
Child swallowed poison
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A child has swallowed household cleaner, medicine, plants, or another toxic substance. Small amounts can be serious in children.
Alcohol poisoning
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person who drank heavily is unconscious, vomiting, breathing slowly, or cannot be woken — beyond normal drunkenness.
Adult swallowed poison
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — An adult has swallowed an unknown or known toxic substance — household chemical, medicine, or other poison.
Button battery
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Someone swallowed a small coin-shaped battery from a toy, remote, or watch. It can burn through tissue within hours.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Prepare for emergency transport — airway swelling can worsen.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Complete airway destruction from second-pass burns.