Accidental poisoning of children in Erbil province

ABSTRACT

This Is a retrospective study of 541 children with accidental poisoning admitted to Erbil Children Hospital in 1986, 448 children [82.8%] were between 1 and 5 years of age. Kerosine poisoning was the commonest [296 cases, 54.7%] followed by food poisoning [123 cases, 22.7%] and drugs and chemicals poisoning [122 cases, 22.6%] The male to female ratio was 1.5. The period of hospitalization was longer in cases of kerosine poisoning than in the others. The mortality rate was 2/541 [0.3%]. 364 cases [67.3%] were discharged with no complications and 175 [32.3%] took their own discharge. No seasonal variation was observed In kerosine poisoning, but 61% of food Poisoning and 34.5% of drug poisoning occurred in the summer