In an Emergency
1. Call the Poison Center Hotline (1-800-222-1222) if you or another person have been poisoned, or think you have been exposed to something that might cause an unwanted and/or unexpected reaction.
2. Remain calm - the majority of poison emergencies can be resolved quickly; over the phone
3. Call 9-1-1 if the person is unconscious or has difficulty breathing.
Poison Prevention Educators: Don't forget to order free education materials for your Illinois Poison Prevention Month events in March! Deadline for priority mailing is Feb. 10! Order now!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a poison?
A: A poison is any substance that can/has given you an unwanted and/or unexpected reaction. That means, anything and everything can be potentially toxic/ poisonous/harmful ...the dosage makes it so! If in doubt, always call the Illinois Poison Center ASAP
Q: What is the toll-free hotline number to the Illinois Poison Center?
A: 1-800-222-1222
Q: Who should call the IPC?
A: Anyone and everyone! The IPC serves all 102 counties of Illinois and takes calls from the public and healthcare professionals. Since the 1-800-222-1222 number is a national number, you can call from anywhere in the U.S. and you'll be connected to the poison center nearest you.
Q: How much does it cost to call the poison center?
A: There is no cost.
Q: What are the Illinois Poison Center hours?
A: The call center is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.
Q: When should I call the poison center?
A: Call if you have a question, if you think, or even suspect that you or someone else has come in contact with something that can give/or has given you an unexpected or unwanted reaction. Do not wait! The IPC can help the public and healthcare professionals with questions regarding:
- Household and personal care products
- Chemicals at home, work or play environments
- Drugs (prescription, over-the-counter, herbal, illegal/recreational or veterinary medicines)
- Vitamins and supplements
- Plants (mushrooms, indoor and outdoor plants)
- Bites/stings (bug, snake, animal)
- Environmentals (bioterrorism, pollution, gases)
- Food poisonings
- And much more!
Q: Who will answer my call?
A: Calls are answered by specially trained pharmacists, nurses, physicians and other poison information specialists.
Q: What information will I need to provide?
A: If your call is regarding you or someone else who's been exposed (or might have been exposed) to a potentially harmful substance, the poison center will ask you for the following information:
- Age of the person involved (if known)
- Weight of the person involved (if known)
- Information about the product or potentially harmful substance (if known)
- Current health status of person involved (if known)
- Health history of the person (if known)
- Time of exposure (if known)
- Your zip code
- Victim’s first name (optional)
- Phone number (optional)
Q: Does the Illinois Poison Center take calls about pets?
A: The IPC is a human poison control center. For pet poisonings, please call the ASPCA animal poison center at 1-888-426-4435. There is a fee for the call.
Q: If I call the poison center, will you report my call to another agency?
A: Your call is confidential and thus will not be reported to any organization (i.e. DCFS, immigration,etc.).
For more information about the types of calls/cases handled by the IPC, click here
To take advantage of the IPC's FREE Poison Prevention Education Resource Center and training, click here
To request a Complimentary Packet (sticker, magnet, first aid for poisonings brochure), click here
To subscribe to IPC news (weekly, seasonally, breaking news), click here
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