A fatal case of gun blue ingestion in a toddler

Acute selenium poisoning occurs infrequently. The form of selenium encountered plays a great role in toxicity. Several fatalities have been reported and all but I involved ingestion of selenious acid or selenium dioxide. A healthy 22-mo-old male ingested up to 15 ml of Gun Blue solution (selenious acid). Initially he was pink, alert, and combative in the ambulance but his condition rapidly deteriorated. There was no measurable blood pressure, his oxygen saturation was 84% by pulse oximetry, and his mental status deteriorated to require hand ventilation. The child was cyanotic, unresponsive, and without palpable pulses upon presentation. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was initiated unsuccessfully and was terminated after 35 minutes.