Chemical agents such as tear gas or pepper spray are sometimes used for crowd control during protests or civil disturbances. Children are particularly vulnerable when exposed to these through ingestion, inhalation, or contact. Individuals with respiratory problems such as asthma may also be particularly sensitive to these agents. https://bit.ly/ProtectingKidsDuringProtests_chemical
What is tear gas?
Tear gas/gel or pepper spray are irritants known as riot control agents. These chemicals temporarily make people unable to function due to irritation of the eyes, mouth, throat, lungs, and skin.
How do I (and my child) avoid exposure to tear gas?
Carefully consider the risks to children when you are near areas where protests or unrest may be taking place. Monitor media reports and social media posts to identify areas designated for protests or other large gatherings that may pose a risk to you and your family.
Should you choose to attend protests with your children, determine how to minimize your risks (personal protective equipment, staying at edges of crowds, etc.) and have a plan if things become dangerous (communication and reunification plan, tools to manage reactions to riot control agents).
How might a child be exposed?
- Aerosol/airborne dispersion used for crowd control (e.g., grenades)
- Handheld sprays or gels (e.g., Mace canister, or water cannon)
What should I do if my family is exposed to tear gas?
Immediately remove yourself from the environment where it was released. If outdoors, go to the highest ground possible as tear gas will form a dense vapor cloud near the ground. If indoors, leave the building or structure immediately.
Seek medical assistance and/or contact the Poison Help Line 1-800-222-1222.
What are symptoms of exposure?
Immediately after exposure to tear gas, you or your child could experience the following issues:
- Eyes
- Tearing
- Involuntary closing of eyelids
- Itching
- Burning
- Temporary blindness
- Blurry vision
- Chemical burns
- Respiratory or gastrointestinal
- Burning and itching of nose and throat
- Trouble breathing
- Coughing
- Salivating
- Chest tightness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Respiratory failure
- Skin
- Irritation
- Pain
- Itching
- Redness
- Blisters
- Allergic dermatitis
- Chemical burns
For most, once removed from the agent, irritant effects resolve within 30 minutes to 2 hours (respiratory may be longer; rarely up to 12 hours).
How should I decontaminate myself or my child?
The following should happen as soon as possible. These may occur prior to going to a hospital, outside a hospital emergency department, or within the emergency department.
- Remove all clothing and place in a plastic bag. Do not handle these clothes again. Avoid pulling clothing over the head and cut clothing if necessary.
- Flush eyes for 15 minutes with water or saline (remove any contact lenses first)
- Can pretreat eyes with 1-2 drops in each eye of proparacaine or tetracaine.
- Decontaminate skin thoroughly with soap and cool water only if there are symptoms (burning) or direct sustained contact with liquid.
- Use over the counter antibiotic ointment on any blistering wounds.
- Protect yourself when helping others by staying in a well-ventilated area and use gloves, goggles, gowns, and surgical masks.
Resources
- Human Rights Campaign Tips for Preparedness, Peaceful Protesting, and Safety: https://www.hrc.org/resources/tips-for-preparedness-peaceful-protesting-and-safety
- Florida Sheriffs Association Keep Kids Safe Series: Large Venues Create Challenges for Child Safety: https://flsheriffs.org/blog/entry/keep-kids-safe-series-large-venues-create-challenges-for-child-safety/
- National Pediatric Disaster Coalition Keeping Children Safe in Large Gatherings: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/patricia-frost-rn-ms-phn-pnp-7ba82917_nokings-activity-7339289076203704320-Mv1d?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAIm91ABHPwNY-sPSdqp9el_eVdAo4r0EdE
- Healthline How Does Tear Gas Affect the Human Body? https://www.healthline.com/health/tear-gas-effects
- Medical News Today Effects of Tear Gas on the Body: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/effects-of-tear-gas
- CDC Riot Control Agents: https://www.cdc.gov/chemical-emergencies/chemical-fact-sheets/riot-control-agents.html