Project 365 Week 13 - In Which I Call Poison Control Center

Hope has been asking for some Magic Grow capsules.  You know, those little sponges that are stuffed into rubbery capsules that you put in warm water and they "magically" expand.

So, after we were at the store a second time, I agreed.  I know they're only, like, a dollar and why would I say no the first time, but I'm mean like that so it took us two trips to the store (unrelated to the Magic Grow capsules) for me to agree to get them.

**You can feel appropriately bad for how deprived my children are.  That I won't necessarily get them a dollar toy when they ask.**

Obviously, I figured a toy that says 4+ on it was perfect for my four-year-old and one-week-away-from-being-two-year-old to enjoy together.

Because second (and third and forth) children are just like that, right?  They suck on dirty pacifiers, play with marbles, juggle knives.  No?  Just mine?

Anyway...

I set the girls up, each with her own little bowl of warm water and we threw in the capsules and watched them s-l-o-w-l-y expand.  When the sponges were full size, I refreshed the water and let them play.  And I went into the other room to start dinner.

Pretty soon I heard, Mo-om, Paige drank the water from her bowl.


My heart did a flip-flop as I wondered just how toxic this all was, because even though I changed the water, I distinctly remember noticing some of that jelly stuck to the side of the bowl.

The package reads Not a food product. Do not swallow. Adult supervision recommended.  I did not freak out.  I decided that it would be okay.  It was diluted water.  No big deal.

After about twenty minutes (during which I merrily went on my way of making dinner), I thought, Who am I kidding?  Just call the darn Poison Control Center so you can know for sure that your child is okay!

So I did.  And I read the employee the back of the package, conveniently leaving off the adult supervision recommended because I didn't need to point out to her that I blatantly left my two-year-old playing unsupervised with a toy that says 4+ on the package.

No emergency room run, no call to the doctor, I was assured that it just might irritate her insides and feel unpleasant on the way out.

Thank goodness for Minnesota Poison Control System.  I feel somewhat sheepish that I didn't call right away, but am glad that I did end up calling, and that the worst we had to worry about was a little tummy upset or diarrhea.  Neither of which Paige seemed to get.

By the way, if you don't yet have the number posted somewhere, you can find your local number here.


**Disclaimer: I am not, nor have I ever been, a doctor or Poison Control Center employee.  If your child has eaten a Magic Grow capsule, or ingested the water, I highly recommend calling your own Poison Control Center.




By the way, the rest of our week, while fun, was not quite as exciting/nerve wracking.

Happy Weekend!