Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Intravenous Injections in Neonatal Mice
05:17

Intravenous Injections in Neonatal Mice

Published on: November 11, 2014

The epidemiology of poisonings in infants <6 months of age

Denise A Kuspis1, Rita Mrvos, Edward P Krenzelok

  • 1Pittsburgh Poison Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, USA.

Przeglad Lekarski
|August 30, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Unintentional poisoning is common in infants under six months. Caregiver errors cause most poisonings in younger infants (0-3 months), while older infants (4-6 months) explore and access poisons themselves.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Toxicology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Unintentional poisoning is a significant risk for infants.
  • Infants under six months are particularly vulnerable to poisoning incidents.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze poisoning exposure patterns in infants during their first six months of life.
  • To identify the primary causes and circumstances of these exposures.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of poisoning exposure data.
  • Data sourced from a certified regional poison information center.
  • Categorization of exposures by infant age (0-3 months vs. 4-6 months).

Main Results:

  • Medication administration errors by adult caregivers were the leading cause of poisoning in infants aged 0-3 months.
  • Infants aged 4-6 months, with developing motor skills, were more likely to self-expose to accessible poisons.
  • Specific age-related risk factors for unintentional poisoning were identified.

Conclusions:

  • Proactive education by healthcare professionals is crucial for parents and caregivers.
  • Targeted prevention strategies are needed to reduce infant poisoning.
  • Understanding age-specific risks can improve infant safety.

More Related Videos

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

Protocol and Guidelines for Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound in Diagnosing Neonatal Pulmonary Diseases Based on International Expert Consensus06:15

Protocol and Guidelines for Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound in Diagnosing Neonatal Pulmonary Diseases Based on International Expert Consensus

Published on: March 6, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios01:26

Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios

Pharmaceutical poisoning can occur through various channels, impacting an estimated 2 million hospitalized patients in the U.S. annually with serious adverse drug responses. These scenarios encompass both therapeutic uses, such as drug toxicity, where even standard dosages can lead to severe central nervous system depression, and non-therapeutic exposures, including accidental ingestion by children, and environmental and occupational exposures.Unintentional poisonings often involve exploratory...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption01:23

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption

Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses a challenge in...
Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
Prevention of Further Absorption of Poison01:14

Prevention of Further Absorption of Poison

In cases of acute poisoning, the primary objective is to prevent further absorption of the toxic substance into the body. Immediate interventions using various decontamination techniques targeting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract can achieve this. Decontamination is crucial to prevent poison from entering the systemic circulation, which involves washing affected areas with water and mild soap and removing contaminated clothing. Once external decontamination is done, attention must be turned to...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution01:17

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution

Drug distribution in the pediatric population exhibits unique challenges and considerations due to the physiological differences between children, particularly neonates and infants, and adults. A crucial aspect of pediatric pharmacology is understanding how these differences impact the pharmacokinetics of various drugs, necessitating age-specific dosing strategies to ensure efficacy and safety.Neonates and infants have a higher total body water content, ~75%–90% of their body weight, compared...