Question: Dear doctor,
I am worrying about my son's exposure to some harsh chemicals. On Saturday, some cleaner come to do a deep cleaning of the house. When they were cleaning the bathroom, my 3-year-old son wanted to wee-wee. When we were in the bathroom, the cleaner has just poured bleach in the toilet, and was spraying the wall tiles. The smell is very strong. To make things worse, my son wee-weed in the toilet which still had the bleach. The smell is too strong, and I had to hold my breath. I later remembered the mix of bleach and ammonia would liberate toxic gas (chlorine/chloramine?), and urine contains ammonia! Although my son seemed fine after that, I cannot stop worrying about the adverse effect on him, especially on his nervous system and brain, as I have read inhalation of bleach and chlorine gas may have effects on nervous systems, and affect neurobehavior in long-term (Dr. Doris Rapp's handwriting experiment, K.H. Kilburn's paper 'Brain But Not Lung Functions Impaired after a Chlorine Incident' ).
I later asked the cleaners the products they used, they are Dettol mould and mildew remover (which contains Sodium Hypochlorite, Sodium Hydroxide), Harpic power plus (which contains surfactants, formic acid, and Sodium Hydroxide), and Mr. Muscle bathroom and toilet cleaner (which contains Alcohols, C9-11, ethoxylated, l-(+)-lactic acid). They all seem to be very strong cleaners with harsh chemicals, and the first two are obvious chlorite based bleach.
I am sorry I may sound too paranoid. But I just lost my judgement how serious this exposure is, and how bad are the adverse effects on my son, especially to his brain and nervous system? Need your advice. Thank you.

Dear doctor,

Thank you for your answer. I forgot to mention the bathroom is tiny with no window, so the ventilation is bad, which increased my concern. Do you think this would make the situation worse?
And, the cleaner was spraying the wash basin, when we were in there. I also worry my son may have inhaled some spray mist. Does it make the situation worse as well?

And, you mentioned 'the exposure was only to diluted material used for cleaning'. But my son peed into the bleach, wouldn't that create toxic gas, and result in direct contact with the gas?

I am sorry, but each of these details makes me worry more. Please give me some more advice. Thank you so much.

Dear doctor,

Thank you so much. One more maybe silly question, my son was having penicillin V for his ear infection. The last dose was 4 hours before this exposure. Would the medicine increase the ammonia level in his urine? and increase the toxic gas he inhaled?

And really really no harm has been done to him, right? especially not to his brain, right?

Thanks again.

Yes, I really don't want these worries destroy the time with my son. But, I just feel so bad that I did something wrong and may damaged him. I absolutely will be more cautious and don't let this happen again in the future. He seems fine, but I just cannot help worrying about lasting effects, especially to his brain. Dear doctor, can I ask again you really don't think any harm has been done to him, right? Thank you.

Dear doctor,

Thank you for your previous answers. Yesterday (three days after the exposure) I noticed his right eye is a bit red, but it seemed almost fine today morning. And I remembered, one or two days after his exposure, his nose has been a bit stuffed, and he has sneezed and coughed a bit. All these are not unusual for him, especially the weather is getting a bit cold these days. But because of that exposure, could all these be related to that, even if he didn't have any immediate initial symptoms? What's your opinion? Thank you.

Thank you doctor. I actually find him sneezes and coughs a bit about one or two days after the exposure. But still should not be related to the exposure, right?

Dear doctor,

Thank you so much. Last question to make me more reassured (I am really sorry to be so paranoid), even his nose or eyes got a little bit irritation, that exposure should not have any effects on his brain, right?

Dear doctor,

Thanks again for your answer. I understand now that his sneezing, cough, eyes are not related to the exposure to chemicals.

I should tell you earlier, actually I have some lasting anxiety over his brain health (he has no problem, just my PND and OCD), so that's why I seem so silly kept asking the same question. I know I am very annoying, sorry. But I am now obsessed by the thought whether that exposure had some adverse effects on his brain and nervous system. I think it shouldn't be, since the exposure is not significant. But, I just need some professional confirmation for reassurance. Could you please kindly give me some confirmation on this matter? Thank you.