In many gardens where children play, poisonous plants grow without the parents knowing about the danger. The little ones love making soup from tempting-looking berries or nibbling on the supposedly healthy greens. So today's article is about:
Foxglove and ivy are poisonous
- ivy
- lily of the valley
- laburnum
- thimble
- tree of life
- yew
ivy
Ivy is often placed on trellises, where it forms a dense, evergreen privacy screen. E Ivy protects itself from predators with triterpene saponins. These are considered toxic to children. Snacking on the plant can lead to vomiting, diarrhea and fever.
lily of the valley
As delicate and lovely as these spring bloomers look, they are among the poisonous plants. The leaves of the lily of the valley also look very similar to those of the popular wild garlic. All parts of the plant contain glycosides in different concentrations. If your child swallows leaves, flowers or berries, this can lead to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and cardiac arrhythmia, which can be dangerous for the little ones.
laburnum
Out of ignorance, it is often even planted at the edge of playgrounds, as the bright yellow panicles of flowers look extremely attractive in spring. Even the consumption of a few flowers and seeds that contain the toxin cytisine leads to painful burning in the mouth. If your child swallows the parts of the plant, this will result in nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps. Ingesting five to eight seeds can even lead to fatal poisoning.
Foxglove (digitalis)
Due to the far hanging flowers, which resemble thimbles, digitalis looks extremely attractive. However, glycosides, anthranoids and sorbitols make the foxglove a dangerous poisonous plant. When consumed, there is a risk of dizziness, breathing difficulties and cardiac arrhythmias. Just one or two consumed leaves or flowers can cause fatal poisoning.
Tree of Life (Thuja)
Thuja can be found in many home gardens, but it is mostly unknown that it is poisonous. Twigs and cones contain thujone essential oil. This is used in naturopathy to combat warts. Skin contact can cause severe skin irritation in sensitive individuals. If parts of the plant are eaten, severe abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting are the result. There is also a risk of muscle cramps and even kidney damage.
Yew (taxus)
The evergreen conifer is popular as a privacy screen and is often found in semi-natural hedges. The bright red berries are very tempting to children. It is not the flesh of these that is dangerous, but the seed inside. If this is chewed, the poison Taxin is released. It causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, high fever, and dizzy spells. If several seeds are chewed and swallowed, this can lead to unconsciousness, heart failure and, in the worst case, death.
tips
If you are concerned that your child has nibbled on a poisonous plant, you must act quickly. Immediately dial the emergency number 112 (Germany) or 144 (Austria). Be sure to avoid making the child vomit and do not give the child milk to drink. Contrary to what is often read, this does not bind the poison, but actually accelerates the poisoning.