b'Poisonous PlantsChapterPoisonous plants and shrubs are plentiful in Australia. Plants such as wisteria, arum lily, oleander, castor oil plant, mushrooms, laburnum can cause serious illness.Children are mostly at risk because they are attracted to the brightly coloured berries, fruit and seeds. Children rarely die from eating poisonous plants because of the bitter taste and intense discomfort in the mouth. This causes the child to quickly spit it out before ingesting.How to RecogniseAbdominal pain and cramping.Sudden or gradual nausea and vomiting.Skin rash or blistering becoming more widespread.Swelling and rash around the lips and eyes.Breathing difficulties.May develop altered conscious responses or become unconscious.How to ManageDo not induce vomiting.Do not give anything by mouth.Call Ambulance 000.Call Poisons Information Centre 13 11 26.Any skin rashes or blistering on the face or hands can be gently sponged with cool water.Closely watch for any signs of severe allergic reaction(refer to Anaphylaxis on page 184) .To help with identification, retain any pieces of plant or sample of vomit for the medical staff. If condition worsens or the patient becomes unconscious:Place into recovery position and closely monitor patient for response, airway, normalbreathing while waiting for Ambulance.152 Poisoning'