Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

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

Published on: August 25, 2014

Evaluation of changes in poisoning in young children: 2000 to 2010

Henry Alfred Spiller1, Michael C Beuhler, Mark L Ryan

  • 1Central Ohio Poison Center, Columbus, OH 43205, USA. haspiller5@gmail.com

Pediatric Emergency Care
|April 23, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric poisonings are rising, particularly from pharmaceuticals, leading to more severe outcomes and healthcare use in children under six. Increased medication availability at home necessitates focused prevention education.

Area of Science:

  • Toxicology and Environmental Health
  • Pediatric Public Health

Background:

  • Pediatric poisonings are a dynamic public health concern with evolving trends.
  • Understanding shifts in poisoning agents, outcomes, and healthcare utilization is crucial for effective prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze trends in pediatric poisonings among children younger than 6 years over an 11-year period (2000-2010).
  • To identify changes in the types of substances involved, medical outcomes, and healthcare resource use.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective study analyzing data from 12 poison centers across 5 U.S. states.
  • Included 2,577,036 poison exposures in children under 6 years from 2000 to 2010.
  • Data abstracted: substance category, patient age, year, management location, and medical outcome.

Main Results:

  • Total poison exposures increased by 12.4% from 2000 to 2010.
  • Pharmaceutical-related exposures rose by 33%, while non-pharmaceutical exposures declined by 2.8%.
  • Serious medical outcomes increased by 53%, including 119 deaths, with increased healthcare facility use driven by pharmaceutical exposures.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric poisonings are increasingly linked to pharmaceuticals, resulting in more severe outcomes and higher healthcare utilization.
  • Increased availability of medications in homes is a likely contributing factor.
  • Poison prevention education must emphasize the risks associated with readily available pharmaceutical products for young children.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Assessment of Chemical Toxicity in Adult Drosophila Melanogaster07:02

Assessment of Chemical Toxicity in Adult Drosophila Melanogaster

Published on: March 24, 2023

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...
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 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...
Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Treatment Strategies01:26

Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Treatment Strategies

Treatment strategies for poisoning are a critical aspect of emergency medicine, focusing on preventing the absorption of toxins and enhancing their elimination. When a poisoning incident occurs, the first response is to halt exposure and decontaminate the patient, particularly through gastrointestinal (GI) methods if the poison was ingested.Gastrointestinal Decontamination Techniques:Activated charcoal is the cornerstone of GI decontamination. It works through adsorption, binding the toxin to...
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...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...