Acute poisoning in children

To find out the common causes of poisoning in infants and children. In a retrospective cross-sectional study we evaluated all infants and children who were hospitalized due to acute poisoning between 2001 to 2004 in two Ahwaz university hospitals. One hundred forty three cases were evaluated, 71% of poisonings occurred in the age range of 1-5 years. Causes were accidental ingestion [77.8%], given by others [16%] and suicide attempts [6.2%]. The most common ingested substances were petroleum products [16%]. Alkaline cleaners [12.6%], Opiates [11.9%], Tricyclic Antidepressants [8.4%] and Benzodiazepines [7.7%]. About 2.8% of cases were multi-drug poisoning. Opiates were the most common agents which accounted for poisoning in below 6 months old. Decreased level of consciousness [67.6%] and vomiting [50%] were the most common signs and symptoms. There was no mortality in this study. Petroleum products are stilt common source of poisoning but their frequency is decreasing. Parents should be educated about the harms of some herbal agents containing opiates and on safe storage of medicines and household products

Wallenberg syndrome as a sole presentation of celiac disease

Celiac sprue is a gluten sensitive enteropathy in which there is a small bowel villous atrophy associated with gastrointestinal and extraintestinal symptoms. True prevalence is difficult to ascertain because many patients have atypical symptoms or none at all. Few children display CNS symptoms such as peripheral neuropathy and cerebellar ataxia. So far, stroke in posterior circulation territory as a presentation for celiac disease has not been reported. We report a 15-year-old male patient who presented as Wallenberg syndrome without any positive medical history. Brain MRI confirmed infarction, and magnetic resonance angiography showed vertebral artery stenosis. Laboratory findings revealed anemia and positive serologic tests for celiac disease, and duodenal biopsy confirmed the disease. In any children with symptoms of vertebrobasilar insufficiency, celiac disease as a treatable cause must be considered