New hazards in paediatric poisoning presentations
Moore, C.; Crowley, E.; Doyle, J.; Okafor, I.; McNamara, R.; Deiratany, S.; Nicholson, A.J.
Irish Medical Journal 108(2): 58-59
2015
ISSN/ISBN: 0332-3102 PMID: 25803960 Document Number: 684193
Accidental ingestion is an important preventable cause of childhood morbidity. All accidental ingestion presentations (n = 478) to a tertiary paediatric ED from January 2010 to December 2011 were analysed. These results were compared with a similar study in the same institution ten years previously in 2001 and showed that while accidental ingestions constituted a higher proportion of presentations (0.5% in this study v 0.45% in 2001), fewer had investigations performed (21% v 35%) and fewer were admitted (7% v 20%). Accidental ingestions account for 0.5% of presentations and are an important focus of home safety information for parents and guardians. Paracetamol (n = 67, 14%) and liquid detergent capsules (n = 44, 9.2%) were the two most common substances implicated in these presentations, and have the potential to cause severe morbidity and mortality.