Ipecac syrup
This one is something that most of us had in the home growing up, though we are not sure how many parents still have it lying around. However, medical experts are unanimous on this one: you should make do with this type of syrup if you still have it around the house. This is one of those home remedies that can prove to be extremely dangerous, even if they themselves are not going to cause any problems for you.
Extracted from a South American plant root, Ipecac syrup was used to make children throw up after they accidentally ingested something poisonous. The logic behind it was not really that bad: if you swallowed poison, you should get it out of your system, and throwing up is your best bet. However, there are a lot of poisons that are going to cause additional damage if they are vomited, damaging the throat and esophagus and even causing breathing issues!
While Ipecac syrup was effective at getting the kids to throw up, it made no difference as to how they would recover. Once ingested, the poison starts to be absorbed by the body.
The best course of action is to leave this type of syrup in the past and concentrate on what you should actually be doing if a kid swallows poison, which is to call Poison Control or the Poison Help line (which is toll-free) and seek medical aid as fast as possible.
For more information on poison centers, click here.
