Caulking compound poisoning

Caulking compounds are substances used to seal cracks and holes around windows and other openings. Caulking compound poisoning occurs when someone swallows these substances.

This article is for information only. Do NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.

Poisonous Ingredient

The harmful substances in caulk are these hydrocarbons:

• Acrylic
• Acrylic-latex
• Neoprene
• Polysulfides
• Polyurethanes
• Silicone
• Vulcanized butyl rubber

Where Found

Various caulking compounds contain these substances. Some caulking compounds may contain other substances.

Symptoms

Below are symptoms of caulking compound poisoning in different parts of the body.

EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROAT

• Loss of vision
• Pain in the throat
• Pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue

STOMACH AND INTESTINES

• Blood in the stool

  Blood in the stool

  Bloody stools often are a sign of a problem in the digestive tract. Blood in the stool may come from anywhere along your digestive tract from your m...

   

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• Abdominal pain

  Abdominal pain

  Abdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.

   

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• Burns of the food pipe (esophagus)
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Vomiting blood

  Vomiting blood

  Vomiting blood is regurgitating (throwing up) contents of the stomach that contains blood. Vomited blood may appear either a bright red or dark red c...

   

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HEART AND BLOOD

• Collapse
• Low blood pressure that develops rapidly

  Low blood pressure

  Low blood pressure occurs when blood pressure is much lower than normal. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body do not get enough ...

   

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LUNGS AND AIRWAYS

• Breathing difficulty (from breathing in the substance)
• Throat swelling (may also cause breathing difficulty)

NERVOUS SYSTEM

• Concentration problems
• Headache
• Lightheadedness

SKIN

• Burn
• Irritation

Home Care

Get medical help right away. Do NOT make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to. If the chemical is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.

If the person swallowed the caulk, give them water or milk right away, if a provider tells you to do so. Do NOT give anything to drink if the person has symptoms that make it hard to swallow. These include vomiting, convulsions, or a decreased level of alertness. If the person breathed in caulk fumes, move them to fresh air right away.

Before Calling Emergency

Have this information ready:

• Person's age, weight, and condition
• Name of the product (and ingredients, if known)
• Time it was swallowed
• Amount swallowed

Poison Control

Your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) 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 United States 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.

What to Expect at the Emergency Room

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

The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated.

The person may receive:

• Breathing support, including tube through the mouth into the lungs, and breathing machine (ventilator)
• Bronchoscopy -- camera down the throat to look for burns in the airways and lungs
• Chest x-ray
• EKG (electrocardiogram or heart tracing)
• Endoscopy -- camera down the throat to look at (and possibly remove) caulk from the esophagus and the stomach
• Fluids through the vein (IV)
• Washing of the skin (irrigation), perhaps every few hours for several days

Outlook (Prognosis)

How well someone does depends on the amount of fumes they breathed in, or how much caulk they swallowed, and how quickly they receive treatment. The faster medical help is given, the better the chance for recovery. Damage can continue to occur for several weeks after swallowing caulk.