CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL PHYSICIAN ADVISES PARENTS TO BE AWARE OF EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO OIL SPILL IN GULF OF MEXICO
06/21/2010
BIRMINGHAM (June 21, 2010) - Erica Liebelt, MD, an emergency department physician and medical director of the Regional Poison Control Center at the Children's Hospital of Alabama, cautions parents to be aware of the effects of exposure to oil from the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
According to Dr. Liebelt, if oil comes into contact with a child's skin, it will likely cause irritation or a rash, and if not removed, can cause burns. Oil is also more easily absorbed into a child's body if left on the skin's surface because a child's skin is thinner than an adult's skin. Direct contact with the oil is not necessary to sicken a child. Exposure to the fumes can create respiratory problems, especially in children with asthma and other existing respiratory diseases. Even brief exposure may cause headache, watery eyes, burning throat and breathing difficulties. Long-term effects are not known but none are anticipated with brief inhalation exposures.
To avoid exposure, Dr. Liebelt recommends parents monitor beach conditions and not allow their children to swim or play in the water, nor touch any oil or "tarballs" that wash up on shore. Should a child get oil on the skin, the oil should be washed off immediately with soap and water. Solvents and other special cleaners are not necessary and should not be used.
Dr. Liebelt said seafood supplies are being monitored and tested for safety, and that any seafood for sale in a market or restaurant is safe for consumption by both adults and children. She does recommend using common sense, however. Should any seafood taste or smell of oil, it should not be eaten.
For more in-depth information, a three-part video interview with Dr. Liebelt has been placed on the Children's Hospital YouTube Channel at www/youtube.com/user/CHSYSORG or:
Regular updates on health concerns related to the oil spill are available from the Alabama Department of Public Health (www.adph.org) and the Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov.) In addition, Dr. Liebelt encourages parents to call the Regional Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) with any questions or concerns about exposure to oil.
The Children's Hospital of Alabama is the 10th busiest pediatric medical center in the United States. Located in Birmingham, Children's is one of only about 45 freestanding acute care hospitals of its kind in the nation and the only hospital in Alabama dedicated solely to the care and treatment of children. It is licensed for 275 beds. Children's is a private, not-for-profit hospital governed by a volunteer board of trustees. The hospital was recently recognized for the excellence of its nursing care by achieving Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Children's will celebrate its centennial anniversary in 2011. For more information, visit www.chsys.org.
