Baby's poisoning prompts mushroom warning

[Hellenabc]

Parents are being warned about the dangers of wild mushrooms after a one-year-old child was poisoned in Kapiti.

Wellington Regional Public Health have issued the warning after a child became ill after eating Shiitake Mushrooms found in a Kapiti park.

All wild mushrooms should be treated as potentially poisonous as it's very difficult to tell which mushrooms are safe to eat, Medical Officer of Health Dr Jill McKenzie said.

"Mushrooms are not poisonous to touch, and only cause health effects when eaten."

Poisonous mushrooms can cause a number of symptoms, depending on their level of toxicity, including vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures, and serious problems affecting the heart, liver, or kidney, Dr McKenzie said.

"Some of these symptoms may not occur for a number of days after exposure. Seeking early medical attention will ensure that any potential exposure to very toxic mushrooms is treated early."

Dr McKenzie advises parents to remove mushrooms from backyards and gardens and to watch children closely at parks as the cooler weather provides ideal conditions for fungi to flourish.

"If your child eats a wild mushroom seek immediate advice from the National Poisons Centre (0800 POISON).

As a precaution, we recommend taking the child to a medical centre for treatment. It is also useful to collect a sample or take a photo of the ingested mushroom for further expert identification."

About 10 per cent of all phone calls to the National Poisons Centre are about plant poisoning.

Of these calls approximately 60 per cent are related to exposures in children.