Melaleuca oil poisoning in a 17 month old.

Del Beccaro MA.

Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital & Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle 98105, USA.

Ingestion of significant quantities of Melaleuca oil or Australian tea tree oil has been described only once in the medical literature. This report describes a 17-mo-old male who ingested less than 10 ml of the oil and developed ataxia and drowsiness. Emergency physicians, poison control personnel and pediatricians should be aware of potential toxicity from this product.
Vet Hum Toxicol. 1995 Dec;37(6):557-8.