The vast majority of modern homes have at least one plant in some of the rooms. This is a good practice because plants have the ability to clean the air, improve the appearance of any space, create better atmosphere etc. But, homeowners must be careful because there are plants that are packed with toxic compounds that can cause a lot of trouble.
In this article we will talk about a plant that is very dangerous, yet many people keep this plant in their homes. Dieffenbachia or Dumb Cane is a plant that can be found in houses all over the world. This plant is known as child killer in some areas and some people have linked it with fires in homes.
A 5-year-old kid named Esteban was spending his free time around his house when all of a sudden he started feeling sharp pain in the abdominal area. In the beginning, his parents believed that he ate too many sugary products.
But, the pain didn’t stop and even intensified after a while and that’s why his parents took him to the hospital right away. Once he passed the examination, physicians have determined that the boy is poisoned.
The doctors had to start treating the kid immediately and the procedure was finished after 3 hours. During this procedure, the boy experienced anaphylaxis – attack of anaphylactic shock. This occurrence is extremely serious and can cause deadly allergic reaction.
The plant’s cells are loaded with crystals of calcium oxalate that come in the form of needles. The crystals are known as raphides. Many specialists in this field believe that the plant’s toxicity is directly related to the presence of proteolytic enzymes that stimulate the production of histamine.
So, if a person chews a leaf of Dumb Cane the crystals will lead to burning sensation and erythema. In rare cases, Dieffenbachia can lead to tissue edema. Ingestion and mastication lead to mild symptoms.
In case kids or pets get in touch with this plant they can experience a myriad of different uncomfortable symptoms like oral irritation, numbing, extreme drooling and swelling. In most cases, there are mild symptoms and they can be eliminated with the help of analgesics, antihistamines and medical charcoal.
In addition, in rare cases people experience lavage or gastric evacuation. Seven out of ten people who are exposed to Dumb Cane and other toxic plants are kids younger than 5.
Via Non-Stop Healthy
