What Happens If Your Child Chews On A Hand Warmer?
Inside these cozy pocket heaters is a mix of ingredients, including iron powder, salt, activated carbon, and vermiculite, that generate heat through a chemical reaction when exposed to air.
While serious symptoms aren’t expected from accidental ingestion, the iron content is the biggest concern and can cause irritation or discomfort if enough is swallowed. The expanding material and heat also make them especially unpleasant to bite into.
If your child chews on or ingests any part of a hand warmer, don’t wait; call the Missouri Poison Center right away at 1-800-222-1222. It’s fast, free, and confidential.
Transcript with visual descriptions
Visual: Hands hold a blue pouch hand warmer.
Visual: On-screen text: “What happens if my child chews on handwarmers?”
Person 1: What happens if your
kid chews on a hand warmer?
Visual: Stock footage of a person breathing fire.
Person 2: Ahh it’s hot!
Person 1: Follow up question.
What happens if a child chews on an
ancient cash iron sword that’s on fire?
Visual: Person 1 holds an iron sword that catches fire.
The answer, of course, is that
they’ll get a bunch of hot
iron all up in the mouth area.
Visual: Graphic of the periodic table element Iron (Fe).
You see, hand warmers contain
iron powder as well as water salt
Visual: Stock footage of water being poured into a glass.
Visual: Stock footage of salt being ground into a pile.
Visual: Stock footage of carbon.
activated carbon and vermiculite.
When exposed to air, these
ingredients react together and
create a warming sensation.
Visual: Person 2 drinks from a mug and spits.
Person 2: Hmm.
Ow it’s hot!
Person 1: But it’s the iron powder
in these forbidden hot pockets.
That’s the most concerning.
Now, serious symptoms are not expected
from an accidental ingestion, but really
it’s just best not to mouth down on
the expanding bag of toasty chemicals.
Visual: Person 2 drinks from the mug and winces.
Person 2: Ooh, why are you drinking it?
Person 1: Just say, if the inside
contents of a hand warmer are
ingested, call the Missouri Poison
Center right away at 1 800-222-1222.
Visual: Missouri Poison Center logo and “1-800-222-1222” on screen.
Visual: On-screen text: “Open 24/7!” and “There’s always a poison specialist ready to help!”
