- With Mayo Clinic emeritus consultant
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Jay Hoecker, M.D.
Dr. Jay Hoecker, an emeritus member of the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, brings valuable expertise to health information content on primary care pediatrics. He has a particular interest in infectious diseases of children.
He's a Fort Worth, Texas, native, certified as a pediatrician by the American Board of Pediatrics and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He was trained at Washington University's St. Louis Children's Hospital, and in infectious diseases at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1989.
"The World Wide Web is revolutionizing the availability and distribution of information, including health information about children and families," Dr. Hoecker says. "The evolution of the Web has included greater safety, privacy and accuracy over time, making the quality and access to children's health information immediate, practical and useful. I am happy to be a part of this service to patients from a trusted name in medicine, to use and foster all the good the Web has to offer children and their families."
Infant and toddler health (6)
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- Vaccination schedule: Why so many so fast?
- Flu shots for kids: Does my child need a flu shot?
- see all in Infant and toddler health
Newborn health (8)
- Baby poop: What's normal?
- Uncircumcised penis: Is special care needed?
- Induced lactation: Can I breast-feed my adopted baby?
- see all in Newborn health
Infant health (20)
- Baby sling: Is it safe?
- Breast-feeding and alcohol: Is it OK to drink?
- Baby fat: When is it cause for concern?
- see all in Infant health
Toddler health (4)
- Terrible twos: Why are 2-year-olds so difficult?
- Toddler speech development: Are 2-year-olds understandable?
- Poinsettia plants: Are they poisonous?
- see all in Toddler health
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Question
Poinsettia plants: Are they poisonous?
Are poinsettia plants poisonous?
Answer
from Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Contrary to popular belief, poinsettia plants are not poisonous.
Contact with the sap of a poinsettia plant may cause a mild, itchy rash. If this happens, wash the affected area with soap and water and apply a cool compress to ease itching.
Eating the leaves or stems of a poinsettia plant may cause a mild stomachache, vomiting or diarrhea — but severe signs and symptoms are unlikely. If you find a child eating a poinsettia plant, clear his or her mouth and move the plant out of reach.
Of course, some people are more sensitive to poinsettia plants than are others. Reactions to poinsettia plants are more common among people who have latex allergies, for example, since latex and poinsettia plants share several proteins. In case of a severe reaction, seek prompt medical attention.
Next questionDiscolored baby teeth: A cause for concern?
- Ugalde MR. Plant ingestion in children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 21, 2010.
- Holiday plants. Minnesota Poison Control System. http://www.mnpoison.org/index.asp?pageID=202. Accessed July 21, 2010.
- Anderson BE, et al. Plant-induced dermatitis. In: Auerbach PS. Wilderness Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/211599456-3/1030283044/1483/515.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-03228-5..50062-8_3161. Accessed July 26, 2010.
- Bala TM, et al. No poinsettia this Christmas. Southern Medical Journal. 2006;99:772.
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