creekland Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Yesterday, in my ps Geometry class a student returned from lunch telling his peers that he felt sick. It turns out he ate about 1/2 of a small salt shaker of salt. I told him that wasn't good for his body and sent him to the nurse. She gave him "something" (his words) to drink and sent him back to class. He then felt ill and went to the restroom and threw up. I returned him to the nurse. Now, my curiosity question. What, exactly, does happen to the human body when that much salt is ingested at once? I know some of the basics from Bio (water change due to osmosis, etc), but are there any doctors, nurses, or general "body" people who can fill in more gaps? I went home and warned MY teenaged boys that there really are some things one shouldn't do even on a dare, but I'm still curious. ps I'd have never thought to teach them that had I not had this experience at school. Teen boys are something else... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted October 21, 2011 Author Share Posted October 21, 2011 I see I'm "normal" in not knowing the specifics. I can understand that this isn't something that would be regularly experimented with. As an update, the chap is back in school today and seems quite normal, so I guess between what the nurse gave him and throwing up, his body was able to deal with it. Hopefully he won't come back from lunch today with a similar experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Salt water is an emetic, so perhaps that much salt (without the water) is too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted October 21, 2011 Author Share Posted October 21, 2011 I just asked him how last night went. He looked quite sheepish and said he felt like he would die (rather sick). When I suggested that perhaps he ought to be careful about dares in the future he admitted that he didn't plan to do ANY dare in the future. I'm thinking it was a good lesson for him - and fortunately, not a terribly poisonous/deadly one. Experience can be the best teacher - if the kids live through the experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangermom Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Yeah, that was a pretty dangerous stunt; too much salt can kill you. I'm glad he's OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 I'm thinking it was a good lesson for him - and fortunately, not a terribly poisonous/deadly one. It could have been if he had eaten too much. You can have salt poisoning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leav97 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 :iagree: It's probably a good thing he puked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted October 21, 2011 Author Share Posted October 21, 2011 Yeah, that was a pretty dangerous stunt; too much salt can kill you. I'm glad he's OK. It could have been if he had eaten too much. You can have salt poisoning. :iagree: It's probably a good thing he puked. :iagree: This is why I had him go to the nurse immediately as soon as I found out about it. I have no idea how much salt is too much nor how long it would take, but I didn't want the consequences in my hands due to any sort of delay. If he was as sick as he said he was last night, I know he had too much. I can't even fathom eating half a salt shaker's worth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photo Ninja Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Friends have a dd whose roommate who drank a salt shaker of salt on a dare. She took her very ill roommate to the hospital and they said she was near death because her organs were shutting down from the salt. It is like dying from drinking ocean salt water. I think it was something about the salt drawing water out of the organs and they were in the process of shutting down. The girl was ill for quite a while, but did recover. Too much salt is very dangerous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted October 22, 2011 Author Share Posted October 22, 2011 Friends have a dd whose roommate who drank a salt shaker of salt on a dare. She took her very ill roommate to the hospital and they said she was near death because her organs were shutting down from the salt. It is like dying from drinking ocean salt water. I think it was something about the salt drawing water out of the organs and they were in the process of shutting down. The girl was ill for quite a while, but did recover. Too much salt is very dangerous. It makes me glad he only did half a salt shaker's worth. I'm not sure what the nurse gave him to help, but when I think about it even in hindsight, it's rather scary. I wonder if his parents had any idea about what he did (did he tell them)? Did they realize the potential for danger? It kind of makes me glad I've been able to talk with my guys about it - just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 It makes me glad he only did half a salt shaker's worth. I'm not sure what the nurse gave him to help, but when I think about it even in hindsight, it's rather scary. I wonder if his parents had any idea about what he did (did he tell them)? Did they realize the potential for danger? . Are you sure it was a real nurse who saw him and not the school receptionist? Our district has cut back so much that nurses aren't in the building full time, leaving anyone in the office to handle medical situations. I can't believe a nurse would just have given him something and sent him back to class. What he did was potentially dangerous and that should have been an immediate phone call home suggenting parents transport him for medical attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laundrycrisis Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 I can't believe a nurse would just have given him something and sent him back to class. What he did was potentially dangerous and that should have been an immediate phone call home suggenting parents transport him for medical attention. :iagree: Except I would be notifying the parents that the child had been taken to the hospital. Do you remember the baby who died because the grandmother mixed salt into the can of formula ? Salt overdose can be lethal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted October 22, 2011 Author Share Posted October 22, 2011 Are you sure it was a real nurse who saw him and not the school receptionist? Our district has cut back so much that nurses aren't in the building full time, leaving anyone in the office to handle medical situations. I can't believe a nurse would just have given him something and sent him back to class. What he did was potentially dangerous and that should have been an immediate phone call home suggenting parents transport him for medical attention. Yes, I'm sure it was a licensed nurse. Our school keeps two on staff at all times (one is middle school, the other is high school, but the buildings and nurse's office is connected). I admit to being surprised to see him come back to class, but the second time I sent him down there (after he got sick in the bathroom) he was sent home. Whenever a student is sent home, parents are called with the reason why plus to make sure someone is home. Often someone needs to come pick them up too. Now I'm wondering if he told her how much salt he consumed... I knew because he was still in the "bragging about it" stage (but starting to feel sick) when he was in my classroom. Once he found out it was dangerous, maybe he felt it would be better to understate it to get in less trouble? I'm just guessing. Continuing my guessing, it's possible he didn't even go to the nurse the first time, but just got himself something to drink (water) and returned to class pretending to have gone. We don't have to check up on them and I didn't (high school kids, not elementary). He did go the second time (after he was sick) as he was sent home. I could check up on it after I get back to school next week as the nurse keeps detailed records, but it seems like a moot point now. If this were to ever happen again, I'm thinking I will call the nurse to fill her in on details - just in case. Of course, I'm rather hopeful it won't happen again. I've been working there for 12 years now and this was a first. I've had two medical firsts for me this year - one cardiac and this one. Honestly, I'd rather have the usual fevers, headaches, times of the month, and sniffles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 I would also want to make sure than anyone who encouraged this stunt had a good long thoughtful discussion about what can happen when anyone is encouraged to overconsume, and the dangers of dares in general. Topics such as self-worth, hazing, bullying, etc. etc. might be in order depending on how the discussion played out. Ideally it would be illustrated by news articles from past incidents, such as the Christmas-time one a few years back where a mom entered a radio contest where they gave a video game system to the person who could drink the most water. (She won, she died. So, so sad.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted October 22, 2011 Author Share Posted October 22, 2011 I would also want to make sure than anyone who encouraged this stunt had a good long thoughtful discussion about what can happen when anyone is encouraged to overconsume, and the dangers of dares in general. Topics such as self-worth, hazing, bullying, etc. etc. might be in order depending on how the discussion played out. This is a good idea. I think I'll make a few rounds on Monday and see if I can get guidance to consider it. It is kind of scary to think of what could have happened. His friends might think it was a neat prank. That would be even more scary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In2why Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 I see I'm "normal" in not knowing the specifics. I can understand that this isn't something that would be regularly experimented with. As an update, the chap is back in school today and seems quite normal, so I guess between what the nurse gave him and throwing up, his body was able to deal with it. Hopefully he won't come back from lunch today with a similar experience. Confession time......every so often as a kid I would take a plastic baggie, fill the corner with salt and add vinegar. Then I would suck the vinegar through the salt. I have no idea why I craved this every so often, and my mother would have stroked out if she knew. It never hurt me short term, perhaps long terms it contributed to me having high blood pressure. I think eating a handful of salt is idiotic, but if it happened I would just encourage the kid to drink water to help dilute it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Friends have a dd whose roommate who drank a salt shaker of salt on a dare. She took her very ill roommate to the hospital and they said she was near death because her organs were shutting down from the salt. It is like dying from drinking ocean salt water. I think it was something about the salt drawing water out of the organs and they were in the process of shutting down. The girl was ill for quite a while, but did recover. Too much salt is very dangerous. Yes, osmosis happens, among other things. And if this happens do NOT give to much water all at once or it can lead to dangerous swelling, but get it treated ASAP. I just did a quick google search, but on the first page saw links about dogs & pigs getting salt poisoning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.