Mothballs can create opportunities for poisoning when scattered around the house for use as pest control or as a deodorizer.
- Mothballs usually contain NAPHTHALENE or PARADICHLOROBENZENE and some may contain CAMPHOR. All types can be toxic if enough is ingested.
- For some types, as little as half of one mothball can be dangerous if swallowed.
- Infants wearing clothes or swaddled in blankets that have been stored with mothballs can even absorb the toxins through their skin.
- Mothballs should not be scattered in basements and crawl spaces as the fumes can drift throughout the home through heating and air ducts.
- Mothballs are NOT effective at keeping snakes away.
Ingestion of mothballs may cause:
- vomiting
- drowsiness
- tremors
- blood in the urine
- anemia
- kidney damage
Inhalation of mothballs may cause:
- headaches
- eye irritation
- breathing problems
- nausea
Call NC Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or chat from this site for further treatment advice.
