A hospital based prospective study of acute childhood poisoning

Abstract

Objective To study acute poisoning in Sri Lankan children.

Design A prospective hospital based study.

Setting Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, Colombo.

Patients Children with suspected acute poisoning admitted to hospital from January 1985 to January 2000.

Results There were 2100 children with acute poisoning. 1256 (60%) were males. 1643 (78%) were below 4 years of age. Route of poisoning was ingestion in 2094 (99.7%) cases. Household products were involved in 1050 (50%) cases, drugs in 622 (30%), poisonous plants in 212 (10%), agrochemicals in 134 (6%) and miscellaneous substances in 82 (4%).

Outcome There were 14 (0.7%) deaths.  

Key words: Acute poisoning, children, hospital based study

DOI = 10.4038/sljch.v35i1.3

Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2006; 35: 12-19