Fourteen-year-old Ethan is in his room alone. His mother becomes worried when he does not answer her call to come down for dinner. Opening Ethan’s door, his mother sees him slumped on the floor by his bed; an aerosol can of oven cleaner is beside him. She asks Ethan what has happened, and he tries to answer, but his words are slurred. Ethan’s mother immediately calls Emergency Services and waits for an EMR to get to the house to examine her son. By the time the EMR arrives, Ethan is coughing and saying that he is dizzy. He tells the EMR that his head hurts. Judging from the route through which this substance was taken, what treatment will the EMR MOST likely use?

Question

The EMR will likely call a poison control center, and the operator will likely have Ethan drink ipecac to induce vomiting.

The EMR will likely administer high-flow oxygen while calling a poison control center for advice.

The EMR will likely remove Ethan’s clothes carefully and use saline or water to flush Ethan’s skin.

The EMR will probably give Ethan a dose of naloxone and then administer high-flow oxygen.

Answer 1

In this scenario, Ethan has been exposed to a chemical substance (oven cleaner) which may have been inhaled or come into contact with his skin and may also cause chemical burns.

Given the symptoms of dizziness, coughing, and headache, the most appropriate treatment by the EMR would be to administer high-flow oxygen while calling a poison control center for advice. This is because inhalation of chemical fumes can affect respiratory function, and providing supplemental oxygen is critical to support his breathing and oxygenation.

Therefore, the correct answer is:

The EMR will likely administer high-flow oxygen while calling a poison control center for advice.