Mistletoe, Holly, Poinsettia and Pine:
Traditional Christmas plants may cause holiday poisonings

Poinsettia has an unpleasant taste, but is not poisonous.

The Banner Poison Control Center at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center offers plenty of information for holiday events and ways to prevent accidental poisonings from plants, aromatic lamp oils and medications.

Poinsettias have been a festive plant in Mexico and the Southwest for many years and the gorgeous red-and-green foliage says Christmas in nearly every language. The plant has had a bad reputation, though, as a poisonous plant. “The sap of the poinsettia is bitter and unpleasant, but the plant is not deadly,” says Anne-Marie Krueger, education and community relations coordinator for the center. “That has become one of the urban legends over the years. Poinsettias are listed as a toxic plant because they can cause latex-like allergic reactions and will cause irritation in the mouth and possibly vomiting if ingested. This is especially true with pets as they attempt to erase the bad taste from their mouths.”

Berries from holly (top) and mistletoe can cause severe stomach illness.

Although pine trees are not poisonous, pine needles can be dangerous if a child tries to eat them. “The best thing to do is keep the area under the tree clean, especially as the tree dries out and the needles fall more frequently,” Krueger advises.

Plants aren’t the only poison hazard at Christmas, adds Kathleen Waszolek, director of the Poison Center. Care must be taken any time children or pets are present. “The greatest threats to children and pets are the aromatic oils used to give a house a holiday scent and lamp oils for lanterns,” Waszolek says. “Lamp oils can cause severe damage to the stomach linings and some aromatic oils can cause a deadly form of pneumonia in the lungs or seizures if swallowed.”

Special care should also be heeded when visiting relatives. “Grandparents often have more vitamins and medicines around the house than when their own children were young,” says Frank LoVecchio, D.O., medical director of the Banner Poison Control Center. “Some of these medications might not be in child-resistant packaging, so it’s a good idea to keep medicines in child-resistant containers. Children too often mistake pills for candy and toxic liquids for drinks.

“Children can find alcohol leftover from holiday parties, often in drink glasses that haven’t been cleaned or in egg nog. There’s also danger from many decorations that, while not toxic, may present a choking hazard,” Dr. LoVecchio added.

If you feel that a poisoning from a plant has occurred, follow these five steps:

1. Don't panic. Usually, a large amount of a poisonous plant must be eaten to cause severe symptoms and hospitalizations are rare.
2. Remove any of the remaining plant from the mouth.
3. Wash around the mouth and the hands.
4. Call the Banner Poison Control Center at 1 (800) 222-1222.
5. Follow the nurse's instructions.

The Banner Poison Control Center is just a phone call away and can be reached at 1 (800) 222-1222. The center provides a free, 24-hour emergency telephone service for both residents and medical professionals of Maricopa County. The Hotline is staffed by nurses or pharmacists highly trained in the recognition and assessment of poisonings, first aid treatment and drug information. More information is available at www.BannerHealth.com, key phrase: Poison.

Contact:
Banner Good Samaritan Public Relations
(602) 239-4411