Unintentional Acute Poisoning Related Emergency Department Visits in Children in a Single-Center: A Nine-Year Prospective Survey

Abstract

Pediatric morbidity due to unintentional poison exposure is a significant burden on public health. We prospectively characterize patterns of unintentional poison exposure in a single pediatric emergency department, using a detailed computerized questionnaire for all unintentional injuries admitted during 2009 to 2017. Out of 71,765 visits due to unintentional injuries, 252 children were admitted due to unintentional poison exposure. Most (198/252, 79%) were between 1 and 3 years of age. The majority of events (209/252, 82.9%) occurred at the patient’s home and 81% (205/255) were classified as exploratory ingestion. In 41/252 (14%) cases, exposure to more than one substance was reported. Most events 231/293 (79%) involved medications and 21% were due to domestic products. Four medications account for 45% of the events (Paracetamol, Salbutamol, Antihypertensive, and Antidepressants). Opioids were responsible for only 1.7%. By, collaboration between government, public health, educational institutions and commercial companies, can the burden of pediatric unintentional poison exposure be reduced.