TITLE:
Childhood Poisoning Cases Admitted to Zagazig University Hospitals during the Year 2018: A Retrospective Study
AUTHORS:
Abeer Ramzy Hussieny Mahmoud
KEYWORDS:
Childhood, Poisoning, Zagazig
JOURNAL NAME:
Occupational Diseases and Environmental Medicine,
Vol.7 No.4,
September
3,
2019
ABSTRACT: Background: Childhood poisoning is considered major socioeconomic and public health problem as there are thousands of children admitted to the emergency departments and millions of calls are made to poison control centers every year. Aim of the Work: Determine the prevalence and pattern of childhood poisoning cases admitted to Zagazig University hospitals. Subjects and Methods: This is a retrospective study on children Results: A total of 624 childhood poisoning cases, more males than females (55.3% versus 44.7% respectively), and more in age group of 3 - 6 years old (40.86%), more in rural than urban communities (65.06% against 34.94% respectively). Oral exposure was the most against other routes (84.94%). Most cases were unintentional (92.8%). The prevalence of childhood poisoning in descending order was; compound therapeutic medications (32.69%) followed by pesticides (26.92%) then corrosives (17.31%), while volatile hydrocarbons (benzene or kerosene) accounted for (15.38%) and carbon monoxide (3.85%) and others (3.85%). Overall, minor cases were the commonest (63%) while only 3.8% of cases were severe. About 88.94% of cases were discharged after completed management while death rate was 0.96%. Conclusion: Most childhood poisoning cases were males, accidentally, mainly by oral route and in rural areas, most commonly in age group of 3 - 6 years. Most cases were due to therapeutic medications then pesticide exposures. Most of cases were completely cured.