Clinical profile and outcome of acute poisoning in children and adolescent in a tertiary care center

Background: Childhood poisoning is a significant public health problem. It is a common worldwide health problem and a preventable cause of morbidity and mortality. Epidemiological studies on accidental poisoning in children show a consistent pattern with respect to sex and age. Aims and Objectives: To determine the changing pattern of clinical profile and outcome of acute poisoning in children and adolescent. Materials and Methods: All children aged 1-18 years with h/o poisoning, attending pediatric and medicine emergency department of College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital, Kolkata from March 2014 to February 2016 were the subjects of our study. Profiles of all cases and their outcome were noted. Results: Seventy-five patients were presented with acute poisoning during our study period. Majority of the children were between 12 to 18 years (45 cases, 60%). Most of the patients were residents of urban areas. Most frequent agents were drugs (44%), hydrocarbon (21.33%) and insecticides (22.66%). Almost all cases in 1-6 years age group were accidental in nature. Conclusion: Poisoning in children and adolescents are common problems. Incidences of acute poisoning in childhood remained more or less unchanged temporally. Poisoning by agents like drugs and organophosphorus compounds are alarming phenomena and these occur mostly during adolescence. Free availability of these compounds, co-morbid conditions of adolescents and adolescent stressors have to be addressed in this respect.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC

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