It’s the kind of heart-stopping moment that makes every other parenting fail look like a walk in the park. You turn your back for three seconds—literally just to grab a fresh diaper or answer a text—and you see it. Your toddler or infant has something in their mouth. By the time you get your finger in there to sweep it out, it’s gone. Then you see the torn corner of a gummy wrapper or a stray bit of flower on the rug. You realize my baby ate a small piece of weed, and suddenly, the room starts spinning.
Take a breath. Seriously.
Panic is your biggest enemy right now because you need to be observant and fast. While cannabis toxicity in children is a real medical issue that requires professional eyes, it is rarely fatal if handled correctly. The rise in legalization across the country has led to a massive spike in these exact phone calls to Poison Control. You aren't the first person this happened to today. You won't be the last.
The Immediate Action Plan
Don't wait for symptoms. If you know for a fact they swallowed it, or even if you're just 90% sure, call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 or head to the nearest pediatric emergency room.
Why the rush? Because kids are small. Their metabolism is a completely different beast than ours. A "small piece" to an adult is a massive, concentrated dose for a 20-pound human. Dr. G. Sam Wang, a pediatric emergency physician at Children’s Hospital Colorado, has published several studies on this. He notes that because children have less body fat and different liver enzyme activity, the psychoactive effects are far more intense and physically taxing on their tiny systems.
If it was an edible, like a gummy or a brownie, the danger is actually higher. Edibles are designed to taste like candy, so babies don't spit them out. They chew and swallow. Also, the THC in edibles is already "decarboxylated," meaning it's active. If they ate raw, dried flower, it’s slightly less bioavailable because the THCA hasn't been heated into THC, but the acidic environment of the stomach can still convert enough of it to cause a serious reaction.
What You’re Looking For (The Symptoms)
It won't happen instantly. Digestion takes time. Usually, you'll see signs within 30 minutes to two hours.
The most common thing parents notice first is extreme sleepiness. I’m not talking about "missed a nap" tired. I’m talking about "can't stay awake even when I tickle their feet" lethargy. Their balance will go out the window. They might look like they’re "drunk," stumbling or swaying while sitting up. This is called ataxia.
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Some babies get hit with the opposite: agitation. They might scream inconsolably or seem terrified by things that aren't there. Their heart rate might skyrocket. In very severe cases—and this is why the ER is non-negotiable—cannabis can cause respiratory depression. They basically "forget" to breathe deeply enough to keep their oxygen levels up.
Why Edibles Are the Real Culprit
Let's be real about the "small piece" thing. If your baby ate a tiny crumb of a high-potency 100mg gummy, they might have just ingested 10mg or 20mg of THC. For an adult, that’s a standard dose. For a baby, that is a massive overdose.
According to data from the National Poison Data System, calls involving pediatric cannabis exposure increased by over 1,300% between 2017 and 2021. Most of these were home exposures. The packaging is often the problem. It looks like Nerds, or Oreos, or gummy bears. A baby's brain is wired to find and consume calorie-dense, sweet things. It's evolutionary.
When you get to the hospital, be honest.
Medical staff are not there to call the police. They are there to save your child. If you lie and say "I don't know what happened," they might waste precious time running tests for meningitis, brain tumors, or strokes. Those tests involve spinal taps and CT scans. If you tell them, "My baby ate a small piece of weed," they can skip the invasive stuff and go straight to supportive care. In most states, accidental ingestion isn't a crime, though social services might do a routine check to ensure the house is safe.
The Biological Reality for a Toddler
$THC$ (Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) binds to CB1 receptors in the brain. In adults, these receptors are well-distributed and the brain is fully developed. In a baby, the central nervous system is still building its foundations.
When that THC hits, it floods those receptors.
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One specific risk that people don't talk about enough is seizures. While cannabis is used to treat certain types of epilepsy (usually via CBD), high doses of THC in non-tolerant toddlers can actually trigger seizures. It's rare, but it's documented in clinical literature. This is why "watching them at home" is a bad idea. You don't have a heart rate monitor or an oxygen saturation probe at your house.
Clinical Support and Recovery
What does the hospital actually do? Usually, it's about "riding the wave."
They will likely put the baby on an IV for fluids to prevent dehydration, especially if the child is vomiting. They’ll hook them up to a pulse oximeter. If the baby is extremely agitated, they might give a very small dose of a sedative like Valium to keep them from hurting themselves or spiking their heart rate.
Most kids bounce back within 24 to 48 hours. There isn't usually long-term brain damage from a single accidental ingestion, but the experience is traumatic for both the kid and the parent.
Handling the Guilt and Moving Forward
You’re going to feel like the worst parent on the planet. You aren't.
Accidents happen. What matters is how you react when the stakes are high. If you got them help, you did your job. But now, the environment has to change. If you have weed in the house, it needs to be treated like a loaded gun or a bottle of bleach.
"High up on a shelf" isn't enough. Toddlers are essentially tiny, highly motivated ninjas. They will climb. They will use chairs as ladders.
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- Invest in a literal lockbox. Not a shoebox. A metal box with a code or a key.
- Keep it in the original packaging. Most legal states require child-resistant packaging. While not "child-proof," it's a vital first line of defense.
- Check the floor. If you’re a smoker or you break up flower on a tray, bits fall. Do a "sweep" of the carpet like you're looking for a lost contact lens.
Myths About Kids and Cannabis
You might hear some old-school advice. "Just give them milk." "Let them sleep it off."
Ignore all of it. Milk doesn't "neutralize" THC. In fact, because THC is fat-soluble, some argue that fatty foods could theoretically speed up absorption, though the science there is messy. And "sleeping it off" is dangerous because of the risk of aspiration. If a baby is too high and they vomit in their sleep, they might not have the gag reflex or the strength to clear their airway.
Also, don't try to make them throw up. Giving ipecac or sticking a finger down a baby's throat can cause more harm than good, including esophageal tears or accidental inhalation of vomit into the lungs. Let the doctors handle the stomach stuff if they feel it's necessary.
What to Expect in the Aftermath
Once you're home, your baby might be "off" for a few days. Their sleep schedule will likely be a mess. They might be extra clingy or unusually cranky. Their appetite might be weird—either they're ravenous or they want nothing to do with food.
Just stick to the routine. Tons of hydration. Lots of skin-to-skin contact.
If you notice any lingering tremors or if they seem to have "blanking out" spells where they stare into space and won't respond, call your pediatrician. These can be "absence seizures" and need a follow-up with a neurologist. Again, rare, but you're an expert on your baby—trust your gut if something still feels wrong a week later.
Concrete Steps for Right Now
If you are reading this while staring at your baby who just ate something:
- Verify the substance. Find exactly what they ate. Save the packaging.
- Call 1-800-222-1222. They will tell you if your local ER is the right move based on the dose.
- Check breathing. If they are blue around the lips or struggling for air, call 911 immediately.
- Grab a bag. Pack diapers, a change of clothes, and your ID. You might be at the hospital for a while.
- Secure the rest. Before you leave, put the remaining product in a place where no one else (pets or other kids) can get to it.
The reality is that my baby ate a small piece of weed is a sentence that marks a very bad day, but it doesn't have to mark a tragedy. Medical professionals deal with this every single day. They have a protocol. They have the tools. Your job is to get your child to them and then learn how to make your home a fortress for the future.
Check every drawer. Check under the couch. Buy a lockbox today. Not tomorrow. Today.