This is poisoning from swallowing or breathing in (inhaling) kerosene.

• Hydrocarbons, substances that contain only hydrogen and carbon. (Examples are benzene and methane.)

• Kerosene (a fuel used for heating and cooking)
• Some lamp fuels

• Airways and lungs
  • Breathing difficulty (from inhalation)
  • Throat swelling (may also cause breathing difficulty)
• Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
  • Pain
  • Loss of vision
• Gastrointestinal
  • Abdominal pain
  • Vomiting
  • Burns of the esophagus (food pipe)
  • Vomiting blood
  • Blood in the stool
• Heart and blood
  • Hypotension (low blood pressure) develops rapidly
  • Collapse
• Skin
  • Irritation
  • Burns

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

Determine the following information:

• 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

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.

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
• 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
• 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

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.

Swallowing kerosene may cause damage to the linings of the mouth, throat, esophagus (food pipe), stomach, and intestines. If kerosene gets into the lungs (aspiration), serious and, possibly, permanent lung damage can occur.

Damage can continue to occur for several weeks after the poison was swallowed. Death may occur as long as a month afterwards.