Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Kids: Signs & What to Do

Quick answer: Carbon monoxide poisoning in kids happens when children breathe in carbon monoxide (CO), an invisible, odorless gas given off by furnaces, gas appliances, generators, fireplaces, grills and car engines. Children are at higher risk than adults because they breathe faster and take in more CO for their body weight. Early signs, such as headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and weakness, look a lot like the flu. If your CO alarm sounds or you suspect poisoning, get everyone outside into fresh air right away and call 911.

As the weather turns cold, families start running furnaces, space heaters and fireplaces again, and winter storms bring power outages and generators. That makes late fall a good time to check your home’s carbon monoxide safety. This guide covers the symptoms of CO poisoning in children, what to do in an emergency, and the simple steps that prevent it.

What is carbon monoxide and why are kids at higher risk?

Carbon monoxide is a gas made whenever fuel is burned. You can’t see it, smell it or taste it. When CO builds up indoors and is breathed in, it gets in the way of the blood’s ability to carry oxygen to the brain, heart and other organs.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children are more vulnerable because they breathe faster than adults and inhale more CO per pound of body weight. The CDC also lists infants among the groups most likely to get sick from CO, along with older adults and people with heart disease, anemia or breathing problems.

The CDC estimates that every year in the U.S., more than 400 people die from unintentional CO poisoning not linked to fires, more than 100,000 visit an emergency department, and more than 14,000 are hospitalized. (The AAP’s parent site cites a lower figure of about 50,000 ER visits a year; estimates differ depending on the data used, but both agree CO poisoning is common and preventable.)

Common sources of carbon monoxide at home

Gas or oil furnaces and water heaters
Gas stoves, ovens and dryers
Fireplaces, wood stoves and blocked chimneys
Fuel-burning space heaters, especially if not vented properly
Portable generators
Charcoal grills, hibachis and camp stoves used indoors
Cars and trucks running in a garage
Boat engines and exhaust

Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms in children

Symptoms can vary from child to child and depend on how much CO they breathed in. Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the CDC list these signs:

Mild to moderate: headache, dizziness, weakness or clumsiness, upset stomach, nausea and vomiting
More serious: confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath, a fast or irregular heartbeat, blurry vision
Severe: seizures, passing out, trouble breathing, coma

Babies and young children can’t tell you they have a headache or feel dizzy, so watch for changes in how they act, such as vomiting, unusual sleepiness, weakness or clumsiness.

Clues that it might be CO, not the flu

Because CO poisoning feels “flu-like,” it’s easy to miss. Think about CO if:

Several people in the house feel sick at the same time, with no fever
Symptoms show up at home but get better at school, daycare or outside
Symptoms started after turning on the furnace, a heater, fireplace or generator

The CDC warns that people who are asleep can die from CO before they ever notice symptoms. That’s why working CO alarms near bedrooms matter so much.

What to do right away if you suspect CO poisoning

Get everyone out. Move your child and everyone else out of the home into fresh air immediately.
Call 911 once you’re outside. Tell them you suspect carbon monoxide.
Turn off the source only if it’s quick and safe, such as switching off a running generator or car on your way out. Don’t stay inside to look for the problem.
Start CPR if your child isn’t breathing, and keep going until help arrives or they start breathing on their own.
Stay out until the fire department says it’s safe to go back in. If it’s cold, wait at a neighbor’s house or in a car parked outside, not in a garage. The AAP notes that exhaust can fill a garage quickly even with the door open.

How doctors treat carbon monoxide poisoning

There’s no home treatment for CO poisoning. Fresh air is the first step, and a doctor needs to check your child. At the hospital, a blood test that measures carboxyhemoglobin (CO attached to red blood cells) helps confirm the diagnosis. The main treatment is oxygen, often given through a face mask. Some children are treated in a hyperbaric (high-pressure) oxygen chamber.

Most children recover, but severe poisoning can affect the brain or heart. According to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, some children develop memory, behavior or other neurological symptoms days to weeks later, so a follow-up exam about 2 weeks after a serious exposure is recommended.

When to call the doctor

Call your pediatrician the same day if:

Your CO alarm went off, everyone left the house, and your child now seems completely fine but you want them checked
Your child keeps having headaches, nausea or tiredness that get better away from home
Your child was treated for CO poisoning and you notice new problems with memory, attention, mood, behavior or coordination in the days or weeks after
You have questions about a heater, generator or appliance in your home

When to go to the ER / call 911

Get your child outside and call 911 right away if:

Your CO alarm sounds and anyone in the home has symptoms
Your child is confused, very sleepy, hard to wake or passes out
Your child has a seizure, chest pain, trouble breathing or a racing heartbeat
More than one person in the home suddenly has headaches, dizziness or vomiting
Your child isn’t breathing (start CPR)

How to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning

Install and maintain CO alarms

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends CO alarms on every level of your home and outside sleeping areas. The CDC advises placing them near every sleeping area.
Choose battery-operated alarms or plug-in alarms with battery backup. Plug-in alarms without a battery may not work during a power outage, which is when generator use makes CO more likely.
Interconnected alarms are best, because when one sounds, they all sound.
Test alarms monthly (CPSC). A handy reminder from the CDC: check the batteries when you change your clocks in the spring and fall.
Replace the alarm itself as the manufacturer recommends. The CDC suggests about every 5 years if you’re unsure.

Furnaces, fireplaces and appliances

Have your furnace, water heater, fireplace, chimney and other fuel-burning appliances checked by a qualified professional every year.
Make sure the fireplace flue is open whenever you use it.
Never use a gas stove or oven to heat your home.
Use and vent fuel-burning space heaters exactly as the manufacturer says.

Generators, grills and cars

Use portable generators outdoors only, at least 20 feet from your home and away from windows, doors and vents. Never run one in a home, basement, shed or garage, even with the doors open.
Never use a charcoal grill, hibachi or camp stove inside a home, garage, camper or tent.
Never let a car or truck run in an attached garage, even to warm it up with the door open.
Have your vehicle’s exhaust system checked every year.

Winter brings other seasonal risks too. See our guides to winter safe sleep for babies and winter coats and car seat safety.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the first signs of carbon monoxide poisoning in a child?

The first signs of carbon monoxide poisoning in a child are usually headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea and vomiting. Babies can’t describe these, so watch for vomiting, unusual sleepiness or weakness. Because these signs look like the flu, suspect CO if several people at home feel sick at once or symptoms improve away from home.

Why are children more at risk from carbon monoxide?

Children breathe faster than adults and take in more carbon monoxide for every pound of body weight, according to the AAP. The CDC also lists infants among the people most likely to get sick from CO exposure.

What should I do if my carbon monoxide alarm goes off?

If your carbon monoxide alarm goes off, get everyone out of the house into fresh air right away and call 911. Don’t search for the source. Wait at a neighbor’s home or in a car parked outside (not in a garage) until the fire department says it’s safe to go back in.

Where should carbon monoxide detectors go in a home with kids?

The CPSC recommends carbon monoxide alarms on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas, and the CDC advises placing one near every sleeping area. Use alarms with battery backup, test them monthly, and replace them as the manufacturer recommends.

Can a child recover from carbon monoxide poisoning?

Yes, most children recover with prompt treatment, which is mainly oxygen. Severe poisoning can affect the brain or heart, and some children have memory or behavior changes days to weeks later, so doctors usually recommend a follow-up exam about 2 weeks after a serious exposure.

Is it safe to run a generator or car in the garage with the door open?

No. The CDC and CPSC warn never to run a generator inside a home, basement or garage, even with doors and windows open. Keep generators outside at least 20 feet from the house, and never let a car run in an attached garage.

Related guides

Sources

This article is for general information and is not a substitute for advice from your child’s doctor. In an emergency, call 911.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Kids: Signs, What to Do and Prevention

What is carbon monoxide and why are kids at higher risk?

Common sources of carbon monoxide at home