According to the most worrying calls have been about baneberries found by children.

The rainy summer has meant mushroom season started early, and hazardous examples can even be found on home lawns, let alone deep in the forest. Many are not deadly but can still bring unpleasant side effects.

The Poison Information Center's (Mürgistusteabekeskus) hotline on 16662 has been getting plenty of calls this summer after children have put toxic plants into their mouths, for instance, baneberries (Actaea), or certain types of brown mushrooms with thin stems.

"Fortunately, most poisonous berries have an unpleasant taste and children don't eat many at once," the center's prevention officer Kelli Suvi said.

"There have been many calls about incidents where toddlers have found and put into their mouths a brown mushroom with a thin stem from the lawn," adding that if this happens, the child's mouth should be thoroughly washed out, and their condition monitored. If symptoms are present, the poison hotline must be called.

"Depending on the size of the mushroom piece eaten and the species of mushroom, the child may vomit, since children's digestive systems do not tolerate mushrooms well. In the worst cases, symptoms of poisoning such as a headache may appear within 10–30 minutes of ingesting the mushroom," Suvi noted.

According to Suvi, most poisoning incidents happen in summer, especially with toddlers. However, the cause is often not poisonous berries or mushrooms, but instead household chemicals and medicines.

"Most causes of poisoning accidents are often simple human error – medicines have been mixed up, chemicals left within reach, or a child has put a discarded nicotine pouch into their mouth," Suvi explained.

As for poisonous berries eaten, the Poison Information Center recommends using the five-berry rule to assess the situation, in which up to five berries consumed would not normally cause serious issues, but beyond that may do.

The center's hotline has also taken in 12 calls relating to snake bites so far this summer. Estonia's sole poisonous snake is the European viper, or adder, but this time around incidences have been lower than usual. For instance, by the end of July last year, the number of reported adder bites came to 35. Adders (Estonian: Rästik) remain active through to October, so care must be taken in undergrowth. Identifiable by the distinctive diamond pattern along its back, the species is timid and would only bite if actively stepped upon or picked up. It should not be confused with the harmless grass snake (Estonian: Nastik) identifiable by the yellow-orange spot just behind its head, even as this species can be seen swimming in fresh water public swimming spots.

In case of suspected poisoning or suspicion, call the Poison Information Hotline immediately on 16662. Lines are open 24/7, and operators can speak English. Never go foraging in the Estonian forest for mushrooms or berries without an experienced local guide.

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