Parents beware: These plants are poisonous to children

There's hardly anything more beautiful than when your children slowly discover the world. Especially the world beyond their own four walls – on the balcony, on the terrace, and in their own garden. But this environment harbors dangers: poisonous plants. Sure, the herbs you grow in your garden bed for your kitchen won't harm children either. Except maybe a little tummy ache if they're not used to chives , for example. The real dangers lurk with ornamental plants. This starts right in the home, by the way.

Before we turn to these ornamental plants, a brief warning about crops that are toxic when uncooked. These include, on the one hand, the Germans' favorite side dish, the potato. And, on the other, the bean , which we all know we enjoy eating almost as much. Only by cooking these plants does they no longer contain any poison and become edible. These two examples alone show how difficult it can be to always assign a plant to one of the two categories " toxic " or " non-toxic ." Because not only the question "cooked or not?" plays a role, but also the ripeness of the plant (i.e., the time of year), the amount consumed, and the parts of the plant that the offspring have eaten.

Don't take it lightly

Recently, we've been receiving an increasing number of inquiries about which house and garden plants are dangerous for children and which of our products are safe. It's time to shed some light on the matter. It's not always immediately obvious how dangerous a plant poison can be for a child. There's really only one guiding principle that's important in this regard: never put a child in danger! After all, children respond to certain stimuli, such as bright colors. If there are red fruits hanging on a green bush or tree, even the youngest of children often mistake these fruits for edible. This can be fatal if, for example, they are the fruits of a yew tree.

For adults, bright colors in the garden or in the potted plant in the living room are primarily beautiful, but for small children they often signal: eat me! The yew is just one example. While squills, foxgloves, and laburnum don't produce fruits that are of interest to children, the dangers of these plants lurk elsewhere. Here, the foliage shimmers in the most beautiful colors – and colors are known to always appeal to children. However, there are also completely inconspicuous plants that are nevertheless toxic and therefore dangerous. In total, there are around 50 poisonous plant species in Germany, and the same number of poisonous subspecies. Some of them unleash their devastating effects when children merely touch them. Others, in turn, are only poisonous when eaten. But anyone with children knows that they like to imitate the world of adults and "cook" by putting everything they find in the garden into their mouths.

Many things also grow in the surrounding area

Sure, you don't usually grow poisonous plants yourself if you have children. But they can also spread rapidly, especially if you live in a rural area. This is especially true for monkshood, for example. Particularly in southern Germany, where it spreads mainly at the edge of forests or along streams. So if your property is located in such a landscape, caution is advised. Children certainly love the bright blue to violet flowers – but this is the most poisonous plant that grows on German soil. Just three milligrams of the substance aconitine can be fatal; it causes cardiac arrhythmia in children and can paralyze breathing.

Henbane, hemlock, and foxglove also fall into this category, not to mention laburnum, deadly nightshade, angel's trumpet, and bittersweet nightshade. Plants that produce fruiting bodies that closely resemble other – edible – fruits, such as nightshade, the aforementioned yew, or deadly nightshade, are particularly dangerous. It should be reiterated: Even if you don't grow these plants yourself, there's still a chance they'll thrive in or around your garden. Therefore, caution is also advised when walking in the woods, especially when children are playing hide-and-seek or simply running away.

100,000 cases – per year!

Statistics show that the warnings surrounding this topic are by no means unfounded or overcautious. 100,000 poisonings are reported to poison control centers every year . And this number refers to children alone. In 90,000 cases, the victims are children under the age of six. And this statistic, in turn, includes toddlers between the ages of one and three. Why? It's easy to explain. Many children of this age don't just explore their environment visually and acoustically - they touch everything and put quite a few things in their mouths. The bottom line is that it is medications and chemicals used in the home that cause the most poisonings, closely followed by plants.

While it's true that in the vast majority of cases, nothing serious happens, that's just statistics, of course. Most little ones will quickly steer clear of poisonous berries or leaves because they simply don't taste good. The amount of poison ingested is therefore too small to cause any more problems than gastrointestinal irritation or nausea. But as parents, you shouldn't rely solely on statistics; instead, you should check your own plants for poisonous plants.

So: What is poisonous and what is not?

To answer this question as clearly as possible, we have put together a short overview for you:

Poison – and now what!?

Not all poisonings are created equal. And not every plant toxin triggers the same symptoms in children. Therefore, you should be vigilant if your child is unwell – it's not always an infection that's weighing on their mood. The typical signs of poisoning are usually nausea, a rash on the skin or face, persistent fatigue, shortness of breath, severe abdominal pain, lethargy, vomiting, fainting, or collapse. If you're unsure whether there's a toxic cause, go to the hospital or doctor. There's no time to waste. It's better to be seen as "overly cautious" later on than to put your child's life in unnecessary danger.

If the symptoms aren't very severe yet and you strongly suspect that your child has " nibbled " on a poisonous plant, it's a good idea to call the poison control center. Each city or region has its own number, but of course, you can call from anywhere. You can find an overview at www.vergiftungszentrale.de . And while you're at it, it's a good idea to save the number in your cell phone so you can dial it from anywhere in an emergency.

An important principle

The most important principle in cases of illness, injury, or even poisoning, however, is different. It is: Stay calm! As best as possible, anyway. Panic won't help in such a situation, neither for you nor for your partner. Your child isn't feeling well, but when they notice that mom and/or dad are acting like two startled chickens, they'll realize something serious is going on. Sure, this is easier said than done, but try to remain as calm, clear, and thoughtful as possible.