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Childhood poisoning in Sri Lanka
1Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Insights
Kerosene oil and pesticides were common causes of childhood poisoning in Sri Lanka in 1986. This study highlights the need for poison information services to track toxic agents causing pediatric poisoning.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood poisoning is a significant public health concern, necessitating awareness of prevalent toxic agents.
- Poison information services play a crucial role in managing and preventing poisoning incidents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify common toxic agents responsible for poisoning in children in Sri Lanka before the establishment of a national poisons information center.
- To analyze the demographic profile and common causes of poisoning in pediatric admissions.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective hospital-based study was conducted in selected hospitals in the Western Province of Sri Lanka.
- Data from 4,556 poisoning admissions in 1986 were analyzed, with a specific focus on 540 cases involving children under 15 years.
- Toxic agents and age-specific poisoning patterns were examined.
Main Results:
- Children under 15 accounted for 11.4% of total poisoning admissions.
- Kerosene oil was the leading cause of poisoning in children under 5 years (47%).
- In the 5-14 years age group, kerosene oil, pesticides, and plants/mushrooms were the most frequent causes of poisoning. Males constituted 66% of cases. The overall case fatality rate was 3.2%.
Conclusions:
- Kerosene oil and pesticides represent significant poisoning hazards for children in Sri Lanka.
- Understanding common toxic agents is vital for developing targeted prevention strategies and informing poison control services.
- The findings underscore the importance of establishing robust poison information services to mitigate childhood poisoning risks.
Abstract:
Poisoning in children is a common accident and poison information services should be aware of the toxic agents responsible for poisoning in the community. A retrospective hospital based study was performed, before the establishment of the National Poisons Information Centre in Sri Lanka. There were 4,556 admissions of poisoning to the selected hospitals in the Western Province in 1986 and of this, 540 (11.4%) were below 15 years. Males accounted for 66%. Kerosene oil was responsible for 47% of the poisoning cases in less than 5 years age group, while kerosene oil, pesticides and plants/mushrooms were the commonest toxic agents in the 5 to 14 years age group. The case fatality rate was 3.2%.