Get help online or by phone

Use webPOISONCONTROL^®, the do-it-yourself, fully automated poison control tool for unintentional poisonings. Whether it’s a toddler who got into your medicine or a cleaner, a double dose of a medication, a sting, a berry that looked good enough to eat, or something splashed in the eye or on the skin, you can get free help online. Computer algorithms written by poison experts (toxicologists) give you a recommendation for your specific case. That recommendation is based on the substance, amount, age, weight if needed, route (swallowed, eye, skin, inhaled, injected, bite/sting), symptoms, and time since the exposure.

webPOISONCONTROL will tell you to either:

• Stay home (72%)

• Call a poison center (24%), or

• Go immediately to the ER (<4%)

Most of the time, webPOISONCONTROL tells people it's safe to stay home. If the tool tells you it's safe to stay home, you will receive extensive instructions, like:

• What to do next (home treatment)

• Common, expected symptoms that are of little concern (and when to expect them)

• Symptoms that should trigger a call to a poison center, if they develop

• Symptoms that require an ER visit right away

• How our recommendation was determined

• When and how to do automated follow-up

Our experts take no risks. If your case can't be handled online or if it might be serious, webPOISONCONTROL will tell you to call your poison center. The tool may also advise you to go to the ER, but we only want to send you there if it's medically necessary.

The information you give webPOISONCONTROL is confidential, and the tool does not share it with anyone else.

webPOISONCONTROL is the solution for you if you cannot call or prefer not to call, if you are concerned about frightening or awakening children who are listening nearby, if you are too embarrassed to call (don’t be!), or if you simply want to try it out.

It's available through your web browser at poison.org and as an app. Apps are downloadable on the App Store or Google Play. Download the app now so you're ready if you ever need us. Whether you get help online or by phone, services are free and confidential.

Getting a recommendation from webPOISONCONTROL usually takes less than 3 minutes (median time: 2 mins: 16 secs). That’s about the same amount of time it takes to get a recommendation if you choose to call.

If you suspect a poisoning, alwaysget help immediately, whether from Poison Control online or by calling your poison center (1-800-222-1222 in the US). Don’t wait for symptoms to develop. Get free, expert help right away!

If you prefer to talk to someone about your case, call 1-800-222-1222 (US only) to reach your poison center. Your call will be routed to the poison center serving your local area. There are 53 poison centers that take calls about human poison exposures in the US.  A nurse or pharmacist poison specialist will answer and help you figure out what to do.

It's always OK to call, even if you think the poisoning or question is trivial. No call is too small.

Whether online or by phone, help from webPOISONCONTROL or from your poison center is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day.

What will the specialist at the poison center ask when I call?

If possible, bring the medicine, chemical, or household product container to the phone. Provide a quick overview of the situation (for example, "my 3-year-old son just pulled his grandmother's medicine pack out of her suitcase. He had a couple of pills in his mouth but I don't know if he swallowed any.") The poison specialist will then ask you several questions. These questions are necessary to make an accurate assessment of the situation's severity and your answers will determine the treatment information you are given. Once this information is gathered, the poison specialist will determine how serious the situation is and guide you through recommendations for treatment.

Some of the questions may include: 

• Age of patient. Be exact.

• Presence of symptoms. Let the poison specialist know immediately if the patient is unconscious or is having difficulty breathing (wheezing, bluish color to skin, lips, nails). 

• Weight of the patient. Do not guess if you do not know. If you have a scale nearby, you may be asked to weigh the patient. If you do not have a scale and the patient is a child, tell the poison specialist if the child is smaller or larger than average for his age. 

• Health history of the patient. Let the poison specialist know if the patient has any medical problems or allergies or takes any medications. 

• The EXACT name of the product, as read from the label (if available). Many medications and household products have similar names with only slight variations. 

• The size of the container. This information may be on a container in forms such as oz, fl oz, mL, qty, or the number of pills. Even if the container was not full before the exposure, the poison specialist will need to know the size of the full container. 

• The strength of the product. This may be in mg, mcg, mg/mL, mg/oz, mg/tsp, mg per number of mL or it may be in %. Look for the area on the label with active ingredients listed. 

• When the exposure occurred and how long the exposure lasted.

• The amount involved in the exposure, if known. Do not estimate or guess or assume.

• The name, address and phone number, and your relationship to the patient (parent, babysitter, grandparent, school nurse).

Why does my poison center need my phone number?

A return phone number is important in case you are disconnected while speaking with the poison specialist. Also, since your poison center provides treatment information by phone (rather than in person) it is used to follow up with you to provide more information or guidance if needed.

Will I have a permanent record if I call a poison center? 

Poison centers maintain confidential, computerized records of each call. Each call is documented as a medical chart. Do not hesitate to call. There is no such thing as calling too often. Poison specialists are there to help you. All information given to your poison center is confidential.

Why would I be put on hold by a poison specialist?

There are 53 poison call center locations in the US. Each has multiple incoming emergency lines and multiple specialists handling calls at a time. The poison specialist determines which caller's situation is most critical and handles that one first. Each call is handled as quickly as possible while ensuring thorough and safe care. Poison centers consider all calls to be important but since it’s an emergency phone service, life threatening calls are handled first. You may also be put on hold if your question needs research or while the poison specialist seeks an opinion from a medical toxicologist.

Pet might be poisoned?

There are 2 ways to get help for poison exposures that occur in pets:

• Call your poison center at 1-800-222-1222, (US only), but some human poison centers don't handle calls about pets.

• Call the vet tox experts at ASPCA Poison Control. The 24-hour number is 888-426-4435. There is usually a charge for this service.