Clinical Features, Risk Factors and Outcome of Poisoning in Children

Abstract

Objective:  To study the clinical features, risk factors and outcome of poisoning in children.Study Design:  Prospective Descriptive studySetting: Pediatric department, Jinnah Hospital Lahore.Duration of study:  October 2008 to April 2010.Sample Size:  60 Patients.Methods:  Cases diagnosed as poisoning, less than 15 years of age presenting sequentially and fulfilling the inclusion criteria were studied. Results:  Among 60 children, mean age was 34.68 months, (from 1 to 144 months). M:F ratio was  2:1. In 90% of patients, nature of poison was known to pare-nts / attendants In 88.3% of cases it was an accidental event and 11.7% cases were of intentional poisoning. 48.3% cases were accompanying the container of sus-pected poison. Regarding the storage place of poiso-nous substance, in 73.3% cases it was present at open / unsafe place and in 18.3% cases in an unlocked cup-board and in only 8.3% it was properly locked or safe-ly placed. GIT symptoms were present in 67.7%, Res-piratory symptoms in 41.7%, CNS symptoms in 38.4% & of CVS 35%. Stay was uneventful in 58.3% of cases, recovery after morbidity and without complica-tions 36.7%, recovered after complication 1.7% and two patients (3.3%) expired. Conclusions:  Exposure to poisonous agents is a com-mon event especially in toddlers and young children, but in most of situations it can be prevented by taking standard measures of storage and labeling the drugs and intoxicants. Key Words:  Intoxication, Kerosene oil, Organophos-phorus, Opium.