A concerned mother, Elessame, has issued a stark warning to parents following a frightening incident where her two-year-old son was hospitalized after accidentally consuming a tiny amount of peppermint oil. Elessame shared her experience on TikTok, aiming to educate others about the hidden dangers of this common household product, which she had been using as an anti-spider hack.

The incident occurred when her son came into contact with a practically empty bottle of peppermint essential oil. Elessame recounted that as she turned, the straw part of the bottle touched her son's lip, resulting in him ingesting "the smallest drop." Realizing what had happened, Elessame immediately took action, brushing his teeth, giving him water, and wiping the inside of his mouth to remove the oil.

Upon looking online for advice, Elessame was prompted to contact the emergency department. She called 111, initially expecting to be told to monitor her son at home, but was instructed to take him to her local A&E within the hour. At the hospital, doctors performed heart rate and blood pressure checks, both of which were found to be low compared to normal. The severity of the situation became clear when she was informed that her son would need to stay overnight. Medical professionals explained that even a small amount, such as one or two milliliters, of peppermint oil is considered poisonous and toxic, particularly for children under the age of five.

Elessame expressed her shock, stating that she had no idea a product perceived as "natural and organic" could be so dangerous. Through her TikTok video and caption, she urged parents to be aware of these risks and to keep all essential oils out of reach of young children, highlighting that "Natural doesn’t always mean safe." Her warning resonated with many online users, who expressed gratitude for her sharing the story and admitted their own lack of awareness regarding the toxicity of peppermint oil.

For those seeking safer alternatives to repel spiders, the article also provided several suggestions. These include ready-made non-lethal spider repellent sprays with pleasant smells, spider vacuums for humane capture and immediate release (often with an LED light for spotting in the dark), and spider catchers with long handles, ideal for squeamish individuals to safely dispose of spiders without direct contact or injury.