POISONING

• According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC), there are more than 1 million reported poison exposures among children younger than 6 years of age yearly
• 90% of the time it occurs in the child's home
• 9,500 children will be hospitalized yearly for unsupervised ingestion of prescription medications
• Poison


  Any substance that is harmful to your body (swallow it, inhale it, inject it, or absorb it through your skin)
• Poisoning tends to occur when parents are preoccupied or highly stressed
• Usual agents ingested

  • Soap
  • Cosmetics
  • Detergents or cleaners
  • Plants
  • OTC drugs
  • Vitamins
  • Aspirin
  • Acetaminophen
  • Prescription drugs
• Poison prevention tips for parents

  1. Keep medicines and toxic products locked and away from children

  2. Add the poison control number in your cell phone and make sure all caretakers do the same

  3. Call the poison control center if you think your child has ingested anything that may be poisonous

  4. If your child has ingested a poisonous product and collapses or stops breathing, call 911

  5. When administering medications, be sure to read labels carefully and to administer the appropriate amount

  6. Safely dispose of unused, unneeded, or expired medications and vitamins
• Emergency management of poisoning at home

  1. Call National Poison Control Center

  2. Administered Activated Charcoal
• What to tell the Poison Control Center

  • What was swallowed
  • Child's weight and age and how long ago the poisoning occurred
  • Route of poisoning
  • Estimation of how much poison was taken
  • Child's present condition (sleepy, hyperactive, comatose)
• Activated Charcoal


  • Administered to conscious victims only
  • Give ASAP
  • Mixed with water, adding a sweet syrup is suggested
  • Stools will appear black
• Acetaminophen Poisoning


  • Causes extreme permanent liver destruction
  • After ingestion, child develops: Anorexia, Nausea and vomiting, ↑ Sgpt, Sgot
  • Antidote - Acetylcysteine or Activated charcoal
• Caustic Poisoning


  • Ingestion of strong alkali, such as lye, which is contained in certain toilet bowl cleaners and hair products
  • Causes burns and tissue necrosis in the mouth, esophagus, and stomach
  • Don't let the child vomit
  • Assessment: Pain in mouth and throat, Drools saliva bec. of oral edema and inability to swallow, Mouth turns white, Vomits blood, mucus and necrotic tissue, Tachycardia, tachypnea, pallor, hypotension
  • Therapeutic Management: Bring child to nearest Hospital, Don't administer Activated charcoal, IV Morphine for pain, X-ray, Laryngoscopy and Esophagoscopy, Intubation or tracheotomy
• Iron Poisoning


  • Large amount of iron is corrosive to the gastric mucosa and leads to severe gastric irritation in the child
  • Immediate effects (fades after 6 hrs): Nausea and vomiting, Diarrhea, Abdominal pain
  • After 6-12 hours: Melena, Hematemesis, Cyanosis, Vasomotor collapse, Coagulation defects, Hepatic injury, Lethargy and coma
  • Therapeutic Management: Don't give Activated charcoal, Stomach lavage, Administer Cathartics, Administer Maalox or Mylanta, Administer IV or IM Deferoxamine, GI Xray, Liver studies
• Lead Poisoning


  • Also called Plumbism
  • From ingestion of contaminated water, paint chips or paint dust, home-glazed pottery, fumes from burning or swallowing batteries
  • Leads to Hypochromic, microcytic anemia, Kidney destruction, Encephalitis or inflammation of brain cells (toxic level)
  • Assessment: Lethargy, Impulsiveness, Learning difficulties, Blood level of lead >5µg/dl (5µg/dl unsafe level for children)
  • Therapeutic Management: Lead levels >10-20 µg/100ml will be prescribed dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) or succimer, Lead levels >45µg/100ml will be treated with Dimercaprol (BAL) or edetate calcium disodium (CaEDTA), Don't give BAL to patients with peanuts allergy or G6PD deficiency