When to Seek Medical Care

Should any symptoms of chemical pneumonia occur, call your doctor or the local poison control center. Any person with serious signs or symptoms should be transported immediately by ambulance to the nearest hospital's emergency department.

Chemical identification is helpful both for the poison control center and the doctor. This should not take precedence over medical care, however, especially for those with severe signs or symptoms.

Immediate evaluation in a hospital's emergency department is necessary for treating the following conditions:

Unconsciousness

Cyanosis -- A blue discoloration of the lips, tongue, or skin

Difficulty breathing

Sudden change of voice

Mouth or throat swelling

Chest pain

Shortness of breath

Cough productive of frothy or bloody spit

Altered thinking and reasoning skills

Exposure to potentially deadly chemical

Vomiting and aspiration

The poison control center may suggest other conditions particular to the chemical that would need emergency care.