@article{ref1,
title="A retrospective analysis of ingestion of caustic substances by children. Ten-year statistics in Galicia",
journal="European journal of pediatrics",
year="1997",
author="Bautista Casasnovas, A. and Estévez Martínez, E. and Varela Cives, R. and Villanueva Jeremias, A. and Tojo Sierra, R. and Cadranel, S.",
volume="156",
number="5",
pages="410-414",
abstract="We reviewed the case histories of 743 children seen at our hospital from 1981 to 1990 for suspected ingestion of caustic substances. Mean patient age was 27 months; 85% of patients were less than 3 years old. The male-to-female ratio was about 2:1. About 53% of patients were from urban environments. All ingestions appear to have been accidental. Of the 743 children, 20% presented oesophageal burns (11.8% first-degree, 3.1% second-degree and 2.7% third-degree). Alkaline products were ingested about 11 times more frequently than acid products. The substance ingested was bleach in 73% of cases. The most dangerous substances were dishwasher liquids/powders (59% of ingestions led to oesophageal burn), caustic soda (55%) and drain cleaners (55%). The caustic product was not in its original container in 75% of cases. Most accidents (58%) took place in the home. We did not detect any reliable predictive relationship between the presence of symptoms and signs and of oesophageal burns. Of the 743 patients, 5% developed oesophageal stricture and 3% required oesophageal dilatation. CONCLUSION: The incidence of accidents caused by the ingestion of caustic substances can only be reduced by broad-based preventive strategies, including enforcement of safe manufacturing practices and public education programmes. Most importantly, the containers for caustic household products should be cheap, small and childproof.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0340-6199",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}