A mother issues a warning about keeping toxic houseplants as decoration after she published a story of her girl poisoned by eating dumb cane.
The Facebook user, Husnolkhotimah Fahmi, shared on June 14 that a young girl named Nashwa was playing outside of the house before eating part of a leaf from a nearby dumb cane plant. Shortly after, she suffered from a seizure and was taken to see a doctor.
Girl poisoned by eating dumb cane
Image: Pinterest (@gardening know how)
Ms Fahmi warned others in her Facebook post “If there is a Keladi tree in your garden that looks like the one in this photo, and you have small children, better get rid of it because it’s poisonous!”
Nashwa was said to have only eaten “a little bit” of the plant leaf. Shortly after, she was reported to have gone back into her house and was ” crying like she suffered from a bad wound”. The mother asked Nashwa what caused the pain but the girl didn’t want to disclose what happened in fear of her mother getting angry. Eventually, Nashwa confessed to eating the leaves of the Dieffenbachia tree.
They took the child to a nearby clinic. A doctor examined her, asking the mother if the child swallowed the leaves. Although the mother didn’t know, the doctor was able to confirm nothing was ingested because the swelling was mainly around the lips and nowhere near the throat. After prescribing medication to treat the swelling and charcoal to absorb the poison, Nashwa is reported to have recovered by the following day.
Ms Fahmi advised everyone to remove any Dieffenbachia trees as they are a health hazard to children. ” Kids being kids right…they get curious. All kids want to explore. We need to provide a safe environment for them…Keep an eye on what these little kids do.”
How to prevent your child from eating poisonous plants
Image source: iStock
The dumb cane is a decorative plant that many households keep because of their vibrant and pleasant aesthetic. However, it contains oxalate crystals which can cause swelling and a burning sensation if ingested. This is just one of several plants that have harmful side effects if someone accidentally eats it.
Children are adventurous by nature. It’s advised to keep an eye out for your little ones to make sure they’re not putting things in their mouths that shouldn’t be eaten! However, if your child has a constant habit of eating things they shouldn’t be, like soil, plants, or even paper, this could be indicative of pica.
One cause of pica is low zinc levels that affect children’s taste and smell. While all kids try and eat all sorts of things, it can be cause for concern when they keep eating something they know tastes bad or isn’t good for them.
Image source: iStock
Mummy, here’s what you can do if you to prevent your child from eating things they shouldn’t be.
- Explain to your child what is safe and unsafe for consumption
- Talk to your child about what food and non-food substances are
- Tell them the consequences of eating non-food substances are
- Store things that they often eat (eg: chalk) far from their reach
- Ensure that your child has an abundance of well-balanced and nutritious meals and snacks
- Speak to your doctor if your child’s development isn’t at a similar stage as his peers.
*This story is from our archives.
Sources: WebMD, Children’s Health Queensland Hospital And Health Service
Read more:
7 indoor plants that are poisonous to children and pets