[Acute alcoholic intoxication in children in Vojvodina]

The aim of this work was to investigate the frequency and characteristics of acute ethanol poisoning in children in the territory of the Socialist Autonomous Province of Voivodina. In a retrospective study histories of poisoned children aged 0-15 years, who were hospitalized in all eleven stationary centres in Voivodina during 1985/86, were analysed. From 795 children, 52 were poisoned with ethanol (6.54%). With the exception of Novi Knezevac, where only eight cases of poisoning were recorded during the two-year period, the frequency of ethanol poisoning showed major regional differences varying from 3.03% in Zrenjanin to 11.45% in Subotica. Poisoning among boys was significantly more frequent than among girls, especially with ethanol. The average age of children poisoned with ethanol was 8.4 years i.e. almost twice that of children poisoned with other substances. The children's age and circumstances of ethanol poisoning point to the absence and failure of preventive measures.