Patient H.D, 2 years old (in Hanoi), was hospitalized after mistakenly drinking the oil to light the altar set by his family on the ground. After discovering the incident, the family tried to pick the child's throat to cause vomiting, then took him to a nearby hospital for first aid.
MSc. Dr. Tran Thi My Hanh - Department of Internal Medicine and Intensive Care, National Children's Hospital said: Nausea is often the first reaction of many parents when they see their children mistakenly drinking incense oil, but this action can make the child inhale oil in the lungs, making the condition worse. At the local medical facility, although the patient was supported with oxygen, his condition did not improve. The child was transferred to the National Children's Hospital in a state of difficulty breathing, rapid breathing, purple skin, and severe respiratory failure.
Doctors quickly placed the endotracheal tube and gave the child a ventilator. Fortunately, after 4 days of active treatment, the child was out of danger, had his endotracheal tube removed and could breathe on his own, be dynamic and have stable vital signs. However, children's respiratory function still needs to be closely monitored in the coming time.
According to MSc. Dr. Tran Thi My Hanh, drinking the wrong light oil is one of the dangerous daily accidents in young children, which can cause serious damage to the respiratory, nerve and cardiovascular systems. From the beginning of 2025 to now, the Department of Intensive Care of Internal Medicine, National Children's Hospital has received 4 cases of oil poisoning, including 3 children with severe respiratory failure accompanied by nerve damage.
Doctors especially emphasize that the common mistake in first aid is trying to cause vomiting in children. This action can make the child's condition worse, leading to many unfortunate consequences.
"The accident of children drinking oil by mistake is often due to the carelessness of adults, especially when the oil is contained in a familiar bottle, the color can easily confuse the drink. Cua den oil is easily volatilized and highly toxic hydrocarbone; when children drink it, the hoi can penetrate the lungs, causing respiratory failure, damage to the cardiovascular system, nerves, and even coma. Parents absolutely should not wear a throat that causes vomiting because it can easily cause children to inhale, cause pneumonia and worsen the condition," Dr. Tran Thi My Hanh recommended.
