Question
A thermometer broke in the drawer, and there was a toy in it. I didn’t notice and gave the baby the toy from the drawer to play with for a while. The baby didn’t wash their face and had some snacks, and the toy also touched the quick-open lid of the rice powder. Will the baby get poisoned if they don’t wash their face and eat snacks, and is the rice powder still safe to eat? I didn’t discover the broken thermometer until the afternoon, and I gave the baby a bath. I’m worried. I would like to hear the opinions of doctors?
Answer
Firstly, the rice powder should not be eaten anymore as there is a high possibility of industrial contamination. The main component of the thermometer is mercury, which is highly toxic. Mercury generally evaporates easily, and inhaling too much can lead to poisoning. The amount of mercury that the child came into contact with while playing with the toy should not be significant. What you need to do now is to immediately clean the drawer and the child’s toys, closely monitor the child’s condition, and if there are any changes in their complexion or consciousness, seek medical attention at once.