Baby Powder

If you have any questions or concerns about a poisoning, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Calls to The Poison Control Center at CHOP are always free, confidential, and staffed by pharmacist and nurse experts.

Baby Powder Overview

Toxicity? Minimal to none if swallowed. Potentially severe if inhaled.

Most common symptom if swallowed? Upset stomach

When to seek immediate help and call 911? Choking or difficulty breathing

Has your child swallowed baby powder?

This is a very common call our Poison Control Center receives concerning babies and toddlers, especially while they are on their changing table or intrigued by their caregiver’s baby bag. Do not worry! In most cases, baby powder ingestion will not require medical attention. However, if eaten, the powder may cause an upset stomach.

Has your child inhaled baby powder?

Many baby powders contain talc, a powder that is an absorbent and protectant. If baby powder is inhaled (especially those containing talc), it can be a choking hazard and in some cases make it hard to breathe. Look for coughing, wheezing, and trouble breathing. This can happen fairly easily when your child squeezes the bottle and a puff of powder comes out. Apart from the trouble breathing when inhaling it, talc is not poisonous otherwise. The Poison Control Center will help you monitor for symptoms like coughing or fast breathing.

What to do

  • In mouth or eaten? Give water and small snacks to help reduce taste and upset stomach. If choking or difficulty breathing, seek immediate help and call 911.
  • On skin? Wash with soap and water. If skin irritation occurs, call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.
  • In eyes? Flush eyes with room temperature water for at least 15 minutes and call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.
  • Inhaled? Wipe your child’s mouth and call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222. If choking or trouble breathing, seek immediate help and call 911.

Prevention Tips

  • When using baby powder, keep it out of reach of your child, just in case you need to turn around!
  • Store baby powder up and away when not in use
  • Consider buying baby powder that is talc-free

Ingredients we’re looking for

  • Talcum powder (more likely to cause breathing difficulty)
  • Corn starch (less likely to cause breathing difficulty)

References

  1. Cornstarch MSDS. (2014, February 14). Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  2. Safety Data Sheet Johnson's Baby Powder. (2015, June 24). Retrieved November 12, 2019, from https://www.medline.com/media/catalog/Docs/MSDS/MSD_SDSD10586.pdf.
  3. Safety Data Sheet, Calcium Phosphate Tribasic. (2018, January 17). Retrieved November 12, 2019, from https://www.fishersci.com/store/msds?partNumber=C133500&productDescription=CAL PHOS TRIB NF/FCC POW 500 G&vendorId=VN00033897&countryCode=US&language=en.
  4. Safety Data Sheet, Talc. (2017, June 30). Retrieved November 12, 2019, from https://www.medline.com/media/catalog/Docs/MSDS/MSD_SDSD10586.pdf.