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Childhood Poisoning During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Hakan Salman1, Zeliha Salman2, Mustafa Akçam3

  • 1Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Süleyman Demirel University, School of Medicine, Isparta, Turkey.

Turkish Archives of Pediatrics
|May 5, 2023
PubMed

Insights

The COVID-19 pandemic led to increased childhood poisonings, particularly from caustic-corrosive substances, alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and toxic gases. Increased family awareness and precautions are crucial to prevent these incidents.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Toxicology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic altered daily life, potentially impacting child safety and leading to changes in poisoning incidents.
  • Previous studies provide a baseline for childhood poisoning trends before the pandemic.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on childhood poisoning admissions.
  • To compare poisoning data from the pandemic period with pre-pandemic data.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of children admitted to a pediatric emergency department for poisoning between March 2020 and March 2022.
  • Comparison with historical data from a pre-pandemic study conducted at the same hospital.

Main Results:

  • 82 children admitted during the pandemic; 51.2% were girls, mean age 6.43 years, with 59.8% under 5.
  • Accidental poisonings accounted for 85.4%, with non-pharmacological agents (68%) being the most common cause, including caustic-corrosives (39%) and alcohol-based hand sanitizers (8.5%).
  • Compared to pre-pandemic data, statistically significant changes (P < .001) were observed in poisoning causes, with increases in caustic-corrosives, alcohol, and toxic gases.

Conclusions:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic correlated with an increased incidence of poisoning by caustic-corrosive substances, alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and toxic gases in children.
  • Enhanced public awareness and specific preventive measures for families are recommended to mitigate these risks.
Abstract

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