Investigation of accidental medicine and chemical poisoning cases in childhood and evaluation of possible preventive approaches

Aim: This study aimed to examine the poisoning agents and causes, demographic characteristics and clinical course of patients, and to determine the precautions that can be taken in cases of accidental medication and chemical poisoning in childhood. Methods: Children aged 0-9 years who were admitted to the hospital due to accidental medicine and chemical poisoning were retrospectively included in the study. Patients were examined in terms of parameters such as age, gender, cause of poisoning, pharmacological and chemical agents causing poisoning, duration of hospital admission and stay, and course of treatment. Results: 47.7% of patients were female and 52.3% were male. The mean age of the patients was 3.1±1.8 years (7 months to 9 years). 90.8% of the poisoning cases occurred in children aged 0-5. Poisoning cases were highest in the 2-3 age group (32.3%) compared to other age groups. Medicine poisoning was more than chemical poisoning (83.1% vs 16.9%). 7.7% of the medicines were administered by the mother, 92.3% by the children themselves. The most ingested medicines were antipyretic analgesics (20.3%), while the most ingested chemical was tobacco (27.3%). 38.5% of the patients underwent gastric lavage. Following medicine or chemical exposure, 4.6% of the patients were admitted to the hospital within half an hour, and 67.7% in the first 1 hour. Length of hospital stay for medicine and chemical poisoning was 1.4±0.7 and 1.2±0.6 days, respectively. Conclusion: Accidental drug and chemical poisoning cases in the 0-9 age group can be prevented with the cooperation of pediatricians and parents. Pediatricians should caution and inform parents about medicine and chemical poisoning during routine check-ups of newborn children. Parents should keep medicines and chemicals in a safe place out of reach of children and in their original containers. The possible harms of ingesting any object without asking their parents should be explained to children who are old enough to understand words.