Citation

Hermanns-Clausen M, Scherrer E, Stedtler U. Tagliche Praxis 2006; 47(2): 305-315.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Every year 2 million accidents of children happen in Germany. Unintentional poisoning is most common among 1- to 4-year-olds. Substances most frequently involved are chemical products, plants and drugs. We have analysed retrospectively all manifest (moderate and severe) poisonings in childhood (0-14 years of age) reported to the poisons information center VIZ-Freiburg (between 1/2002 and 12/2004). 181 patients (age 0-14 years old, median 4) were included in this study. Severity of intoxication was moderate in 155, severe in 25 cases and lethal in 1 case. Involved in manifest poisoning were drugs (37.5%), chemical products (26.5%), ethanol (11%) and rarely plants (4%). In case of chemical poisoning caustic and aspiration injury were predominant. The vast majority of exposures were unintentional (67%) and involved toddlers. 12 to 14 years old children were poisoned predominantly after misusing ethanol or after suicidal ingestion of drugs. Toddlers are most at risk and mainly drugs and chemical products are involved in manifest poisoning. Safe storing of drugs and chemicals preferable in the original container could prevent these poisonings. Older children are mainly at a risk of drinking alcohol and suicidal ingestion of drugs. Preventive measures should involve paediatricians also, as long time contact person of children and their families.

Language: de

Keywords

adolescent; human; suicide; child; infant; Germany; disease severity; intoxication; alcohol intoxication; Drugs; review; major clinical study; controlled study; drug intoxication; clinical feature; poison center; Alcoholic intoxication; Caustics; Aspiration pneumonia; Childhood poisoning; plant intoxication