Spectrum of Accidental Paediatric Poisoning at a Tertiary Care Centre in South India

To see the clinical spectrum and outcome of accidental childhood poisoning cases admitted to Kamineni Hospital, a tertiary care Teaching Institute in Telangana region of south India, including the incidence, types of substances ingested, the age of the children involved, and the clinical outcomes.

A retrospective review of the charts of all admitted patients, less than 18 years old presented at Paediatric emergency room for acute accidental poisoning between January 2010 to December 2013.

69 patients presented to the paediatric emergency room with definite history of poisoning during the study period. The majority of our patients (34.78%) were in the <5 year age group. Males (68.12%) outnumbered females (31.88%). Kerosene (46.38%), insecticides (24.64%) and Plant Poison (8.70%) were the agents most frequently implicated. All cases were accidental in nature. Nineteen patients (27.54%) were asymptomatic after 6 hr of observation in the emergency paediatric room; 29 patients (42.03%) developed symptoms related to toxic ingestion. The common serious symptoms included altered sensorium, respiratory distress, seizures, ataxia, hypotension, cyanosis and burns.

Poisoning is most common in 0–5 year's age group as far as accidental paediatric poisoning is concerned; also it is more frequent in males. Kerosene poisoning is the most frequently reported household poisoning. There is a need to establish regional toxicological centers and poison information centers which can help guide hospitals in the quick identification of poisons and provide guidelines for treatment. There is also a need to initiate public awareness campaigns to attempt to decrease morbidity and mortality from this eminently preventable problem.