Accidental poisoning in children in Bahrain

ABSTRACT

Childhood poisoning is a preventable problem with considerable morbidity and mortality. This retrospective study was carried out to describe the epidemiology of accidental poisoning of children with drugs and chemicals in Bahrain. A 6 years retrospective review of accidental poisoning, 600 children were admitted to paediatric department [Salmaniya Medical Complex]. In patient record of 311 patients were available for review. The following information was collected from inpatient records age, sex, type of toxic, symptomatology, source of poison, time of the year, hospital stay and final outcome. Most cases of poisoning involved children under the age of 4 years [89.3%] and male were slightly predominant. There were two deaths, one from rat poison and the other from orphenadrine ingestion. One hundred and forty six children were symptomatic at presentation. Hydrocarbon was the most frequently ingested substance [39.9%] followed by medicinal product [33.4%] and household detergents [30.6%]. Hydrocarbon ingestion occurred mostly in children under the age of 2 years while poisoning with medicinal products was more common in those over the age of 2 years. No seasonal variation in the incidence of poisoning was noted. A slight decline in the incidence of poisoning during the last 3 years of the study was observed. Most cases of poisoning occurred at home. Soft drink bottles and glass tumbles were commonly used for storage of hydrocarbons and medicinal products were often left unsecured within easy reach of young children. Accidental poisoning with medicinal and non medicinal products contribute to significant morbidity and hospital admissions in Bahrain