Physical change, time of day, and child characteristics as factors in poison injury

In a study of 85 children under 6 y whose mothers called the poison center, information regarding the physical surroundings of the substance ingested at the time of the incident was obtained along with ratings of maternal stress and child behavior problems. In 51% of the incidents, the substance had recently been moved from a usual storage site or was in use at the time of the ingestion. Environmental changes occurred in 1/3 of those poisoned between 4 and 6 pm which was the 2-h period of the greatest incidence. Poisoning in children 1 and 2 y were more likely to have followed physical environmental change. Children with higher child behavior problem score were more likely to be poisoned in the morning.