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Unintentional paediatric ingestion poisonings and the role of imitative behaviour

Gregory B Rodgers1, Robert L Franklin, Jonathan D Midgett

  • 1Directorate for Economic Analysis, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA. 5R18CE001339

Injury Prevention : Journal of the International Society for Child and Adolescent Injury Prevention
|June 29, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Childhood poisonings, particularly those involving oral drugs, may stem from imitation. This behavior could account for approximately 20% of poisonings in young children, highlighting the need for caregiver awareness.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Toxicology
  • Child Development

Background:

  • Unintentional poisonings are a significant cause of emergency department visits for young children.
  • Imitative behavior is a recognized developmental milestone in early childhood.
  • The role of imitation in accidental poisonings, especially oral drug ingestions, requires further quantification.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify the relationship between imitative behavior and poisonings in children under 5 years old.
  • To differentiate poisonings resulting from imitation (oral drugs) from those less likely to be imitative (non-drug poisonings).

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of a national database of pediatric emergency department visits for unintentional poisonings (2004-2005).
  • Comparison of oral drug poisonings with non-drug poisonings to assess the influence of imitation.
  • Binary logistic regression used non-drug poisonings as a control group.

Main Results:

  • A significant increase in oral drug poisonings was observed starting at 20-23 months, coinciding with the onset of imitative behaviors.
  • Imitative behavior may contribute to an estimated 17,300 annual emergency department poisonings in children.
  • Imitation may account for approximately 20% of all poisonings in children under 5, and 30% in those aged 20-59 months.

Conclusions:

  • Preventive strategies for child poisoning must incorporate the role of imitative behavior.
  • Caregivers should avoid ingesting medications in the presence of young children to mitigate imitation-related risks.
Abstract

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