ACCIDENTAL POISONING IN CHILDREN BELOW 12 YEARS ADMITTED IN SEREMBAN HOSPITAL 1994-1995
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37268/mjphm/vol.3/no.1/art.1293Keywords:
accidental poisoning, preventable condition, toddlers, carer, kerosene, medications, liniment methyl salicylate, mothballsAbstract
Accidental poisoning in children is a preventable condition. It is a problem mainly in children aged 1 to 4 years. This is a descriptive study of accidental poisoning in children below I 2 years old admitted to Hospital Seremban from October 15, 1994 to October 14, 1995. A major cause of household accidental poisoning was kerosene ingestion (25%) followed by ingestion of medications (22%), liniment methyl salicylate (12%), mothballs (12%) and hypochlorinate solution (9%). There was a higher incidence of poisoning in males (50.8%}, among Indians (41.2%) and in children from lower social classes (67%). A greater proportion of the accident occurred when the child was taken care by the parents (53%) and in the house (80%). Most of the poison was ingested from its original package (81%). The immediate action taken was sending the child to the hospital (75%} without carrying out other actions such as washing the child's mouth. The delay of sending the child to hospital was due to husband not at home (57%). Most of the cases (72.1%) were discharged well within 1-2 days following admission.
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