Hospitals are reporting growing numbers of children accidentally swallowing liquid nicotine from e-cigarette refills. There is a risk of poisoning from swallowing e-cigarette liquid.
Symptoms are usually mild and include nausea and vomiting. But serious poisoning can happen after swallowing larger amounts, especially by small children.
So, as with medicines and cleaning products, keep e-cigarettes and e-liquid refills well out of reach and sight of babies, toddlers and small children.
While no deaths have yet been reported in the UK, a two-year-old girl from Israel was fatally poisoned after she swallowed an e-cigarette refill. The bulletin recommends that health practitioners warn people using e-cigarettes to: “keep nicotine-containing products away from children, especially very young children and toddlers, who are more susceptible to nicotine poisoning.”
CAPT’s Chief Executive, Katrina Phillips, said:
“Babies put everything in their mouths – it’s how they explore the world around them. Toddlers are intensely curious – if you leave your bag on the floor, they’ll be in there like a shot. So remember to keep harmful things like e-cigarette refills where small children can’t find them.”
If a child swallows e-liquid, contact your GP or call NHS 111. In an emergency dial 999.
