We are in San Jose, California, USA. Abo
Ask
We are in San Jose, California, USA. About 25 minutes ago, my 15-month-old son tore off a leaf from a potted floor plant (we think it's a Dieffenbachia / Dumb Cane) and chewed on it.
He is crying, drooling heavily, rubbing his lips, and his tongue looks red and irritated. He isn't wheezing right now, but he's very distressed.
My mother-in-law is insisting that I stick my finger down his throat or give him salt water to make him vomit up the plant toxins immediately. I have a gut feeling that making him throw up is dangerous.
1. Should I induce vomiting or give him salt water, or is that harmful?
2. What are the immediate danger signs (airway/swelling) that mean we must call 911 / rush to the E right now?
3. What should we do in the next 10 minutes while we contact Poison Control, and what do we bring?
Answer
Call Poison Control now at 1-800-222-1222, and dial 911 immediately if any airway sign (below) appears.
Dieffenbachia / Dumb Cane contains needle-shaped calcium oxalate crystals. The mouth pain, drooling, and red tongue you are seeing is the expected reaction to those crystals embedding in the lining of his mouth and tongue. The risk we watch for is swelling that narrows the airway. That is why Poison Control wants to hear from you now — not because every case is severe, but because the rare ones turn dangerous quickly.
**1. Inducing vomiting or giving salt water — harmful, do not do it.**
Your instinct is correct. Do not put a finger down his throat. Do not give salt water, ipecac, syrup of ipecac, or activated charcoal. The crystals are already in his mouth and tongue; forcing them back up passes them through the same injured tissue and can worsen swelling or cause aspiration. Standard pediatric poison guidance is explicit: do not induce vomiting after a plant or unknown ingestion. Let Poison Control decide what, if anything, he should drink or rinse with.
**2. Airway / danger signs — call 911 immediately if any of these appear**
- Tongue, lips, or face visibly swelling, or getting puffier minute to minute
- Hoarseness, voice change, or a high-pitched sound when breathing in (stridor)
- Trouble swallowing, drooling that is getting worse, or refusal to swallow
- Wheezing, gasping, or breathing that looks fast or labored — or skin pulling in at the ribs or neck with each breath
- Lips or skin turning blue, pale, or mottled
- Becoming very sleepy, hard to wake, or any seizure
- Vomiting that will not stop, or any blood in spit or vomit
A distressed child plus any one of these = 911 first, then Poison Control.
**3. In the next 10 minutes, while you are on the phone**
- Have ready for the call: his exact age (15 months), a recent weight if you have one (his last checkup weight is fine), the time he chewed the leaf (about 25 minutes ago), the plant name (Dieffenbachia / Dumb Cane), and the symptoms in plain words (crying, drooling, red tongue, rubbing lips, distressed, no wheezing).
- Cut or photograph a leaf and bring the pot with the plant tag if you go anywhere. A photo of the whole plant plus a close-up of a leaf helps the clinician confirm it. Labels can be wrong, but take the tag with you anyway.
- Wipe his lips and chin with a cool, wet cloth. If plant juice is on his hands or face, wash with soap and water; change his shirt if juice is on it.
- Do not give him anything to eat or drink until Poison Control says it is okay. He can spit; do not have him swallow rinses unless Poison Control specifically tells you to.
- Stay with him. Watch his breathing and his mouth. Keep him upright if that is more comfortable for him.
**Take with you if you go to the E or urgent care**
- The plant (or a clear photo of leaf + whole plant) and any tag
- His weight and any medicines, allergies, or conditions
- A phone with Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) and 911 ready to call
- A change of clothes and a towel — drooling will keep going for a while
I am not diagnosing, and I am not the one who decides whether he is seen tonight. A clinician at Poison Control or the E is. The Poison Help line is free, confidential, and 24/7; their first question is usually "what did he touch and how long ago," and from there they will say where he needs to be seen.