First aid given to a baby who has eaten soap

By Ruth Nakandi

“It was a Tuesday morning when I learnt to always keep an eye on my little boy James. Since I was watching news on TV, he crawled to the bed room without my consent. I run in the bedroom and found him eating washing soap. I washed his mouth but it started swelling and he also got diarrhea. When I called our doctor, he told me to give him a lot of milk. He became fine the next day.” Says Monica Byarungaba, a mother of two in Kololo.

‘’Soap is harmless depending on the chemicals which are inside. Some soaps are medicated while others are perfumed with chemicals which give smell.’’ Says Peter Michael Alele, a doctor at Kingsley children’s medical center in Mukono.

He says that first aid given to the baby who has eaten soap depends on how much soap they have eaten and the symptoms resulting from eating the soap.

‘’ Although they have eaten little, it can cause some symptoms but largely it is harmless. When these symptoms are not several, give fluids like milk or water.’’ He adds.

Alele says that these fluids dilute the soap in the body and also rehydrate the body.

He adds that the symptoms a baby may get after eating soap may include swelling of the mouth, redness of the lips, abdominal disturbance like vomiting or diarrhea and skin irritation especially around the mouth.

‘’ Do not induce any form of vomiting when your baby eats soap because a child may aspirate the chemicals in the lungs causing bad breathing.’’ He explains.

Alele says that when the symptoms are several, take the child to the hospital. In the hospital, they manage the complications that have occurred due to the effect of the chemicals in the soap. This may include but not limited to the following.

Rehydration using fluids {intravenous fluids} which is Ringerslectate and management of breathing complications if there is any. This depends on how several the complication is.

Alele adds that parents should not worry a lot when their babies eat a little soap which is unnoticed because it is harmless although there may be some symptoms.

ENDS