Full Breakdown
Toddlers Hospitalized After Eating Chocolate Laced with Hallucinogenic Mushrooms
8/16/2026, 7:51:32 PM
Incident Overview
Two children, ages five and six, were brought to the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya on a Sunday after consuming chocolate that contained hallucinogenic mushrooms of the *Psilocybe*/*Panaeolus* family. Upon arrival, both were stable in terms of breathing and heart function but displayed neurological symptoms, including severe pupil dilation and active hallucinations, as reported by the hospital’s pediatric emergency department.
Medical Response
Physicians at the Children’s Emergency Department immediately stabilized the patients and, in coordination with the Israel Poison Information Center, began treatment and continuous monitoring. Because the effects of psilocybin-containing mushrooms can be unpredictable, the children were transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit for observation. Hospital officials noted that, despite the seriousness of the poisoning, no critical injury had occurred at the time of reporting.
Expert Commentary & Public Safety Advice
Medical staff emphasized that ingestion of these mushrooms can cause confusion, elevated blood pressure, seizures, and cardiac complications, especially in young children. Beterem-Safe Kids Israel highlighted that seven children died from mushroom-related poisoning in Israel between 2016 and 2025, underscoring the public health risk. The deputy director of Galilee Medical Center urged families to keep hazardous substances out of children’s reach and to seek immediate medical care if poisoning is suspected.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The children came to us in a state of confusion, with dilated pupils and active hallucinations,” — Dr. Sally Makhom, a physician at the Galilee Medical Center's Children's Emergency Department
- “The children arrived in a state of confusion, with dilated pupils and active hallucinations. We immediately worked to stabilize them and, in coordination with the Israel Poison Information Center, began treatment and monitoring. Because of the unpredictable nature of this type of poisoning, they were transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit for continuous observation.” — Dr. Tsvi Sheleg, center deputy director
- “This was a serious, life-threatening incident that, so far, has not resulted in critical harm thanks to the parents' vigilance and the rapid treatment provided by our medical teams. We urge the public to exercise the utmost responsibility, keep dangerous substances out of the reach of toddlers and children and seek immediate medical attention in any suspected case of poisoning.” — Beterem-Safe Kids Israel
Data & Context
- The mushrooms involved belong to the *Psilocybe* and *Panaeolus* genera, which naturally produce the psychoactive compound psilocybin.
- Beterem-Safe Kids Israel reported seven child fatalities from mushroom poisoning over a ten-year period (2016-2025).
These events illustrate the acute dangers of accidental ingestion of psychoactive fungi and the importance of rapid medical intervention and public awareness.
