Acute alcohol intoxications in children treated in hospital

Cases of alcohol intoxication in children are common; they are encountered every day in Finland. Studies other than case studies of alcohol intoxication in children are few. Metabolic acidosis was a frequent finding in juvenile alcohol intoxication. Capillary or arterial blood pH was below normal (less than 7.36) in 61.4% of patients and bicarbonate (less than 22) in 55.3% of patients. pCO2 was varied; the higher the blood alcohol concentration the higher the pCO2. Metabolic acidosis and blood pH correlated with the blood alcohol concentration and consciousness. The lower the blood pH the higher the serum glucose. Hypoglycemia is the most common reported symptom in children under 5 years of age. In the present study three patients were slightly hypoglycemic. Hypokalemia was the most important change (in 12.2%) in serum electrolytes. Alcohol intoxication causes metabolic acidosis and respiratory depression in children. Metabolic acidosis reduces consciousness.