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Starch ingestion

Definition

This is poisoning from swallowing starch.

Alternative Names

Poisonous Ingredient

Cooking starch is generally non-toxic. Most household laundry starches are relatively safe and made of corn starch. However, older formulas may be harmful if swallowed.

Where Found

• Starch is found in various cosmetic products
• Laundry starch is found in various laundry products
• Cooking starch

Symptoms

For cooking starch:

• Gastrointestinal
  • Intestinal blockage
  • Stomach area pain

For laundry starch:

• Bladder and kidneys
  • Significantly decreased urine output (or none)
• Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
  • Jaundice (eyes become yellow)
• Skin
  • Blisters
  • Bluish skin, lips, or fingernails
  • Flaking skin
  • Yellow skin
• Gastrointestinal
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
• Heart and blood
  • Low blood pressure
  • Convulsions
  • Collapse
  • Fever
• Nervous system
  • Drowsiness
  • Coma
  • Twitching of the facial muscles
  • Twitching of the arms, hands, legs, or feet

Home Care

DO NOT make a person throw up unless told to do so by Poison Control or a health care professional. Seek immediate medical help.

If the chemical is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.

Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following:

• The patient's age, weight, and condition
• The name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
• The time it was swallowed
• The amount swallowed

Poison Control

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the U.S. use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

See National Poison Control center.

What to Expect at the Emergency Room

For cooking starch:

The patient probably will not need to go to the emergency room, unless they are unable to drink fluids or are in severe pain.

For laundry starch:

The health care provider will measure and monitor the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. The patient may receive:

• Fluids by IV
• Medicines to treat symptoms
• Activated charcoal
• A nasogastric (NG) tube thru the nose into the stomach to empty the stomach (gastric lavage)
• Endoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and the stomach
• Medicine (antidote) to reverse the effect of the poison
• Oxygen
• Breathing tube
• Bronchoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the airways and lungs
• Irrigation (washing of the skin) -- perhaps every few hours for several days
• Skin debridment (surgical removal of burned skin)

Outlook (Prognosis)

How well a patient does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment was received. The faster a patient gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery. Cooking starch is generally non-harmful and recovery is likely. Poisonings from laundry starch are more serious.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.