Characteristics of acute poisoning in children

Introduction: The cases of poisoning or intoxication are pathological conditions occurring as consequences of effects of poisonous substances when taken into body regardless of the way in which they have been taken, the dosage or effects of substances that are not potentially poison ous, but if they are taken in large (enormous) dosage, they become poisonous. The reasons leading to poisoning at children's age are various, and among the most important ones are poor general and health -related education of adults as well as insufficient work on the application of preventive measures. Acute poisoning at children's age is always an emergency condition regardless of the manifestation of symptoms and signs (possible latent period with subsequent symptoms of poisoning). Aim: To present the data on the frequency of acute poisoning considering age and gender in relation to the overall number of received patients at the Paediatric Clinic in Sarajevo, to present the data on the frequency of individual poisonous substances in acute poisoning and to present the data on parents' being informed on the possibilities of their underage children's poisoning, as well as the way of prevention based on responses obtained in a questionnaire. Material and methods of work: In this work, all cases of acute poisoning at children's age were analysed in children hospitalized at the Paediatric Clinic of the Clinical Centre of Kosevo in Sarajevo in the period of four years, i.e. from 15/07/2010 to 15/07/2013, of whom there were 80 in total. The medical documentation of the Paediatric Clinic in Sarajevo was used for this work. Annual protocols of walk -in centre was used, as well as histories of diseases of children who were treated for acute poisoning at the Paediatric Clinic in Sarajevo in the period from 15/07/2010 to 15/07/2013. The research in this work is retrospective. We used Word and Excel graphical and tabular data presentation. General data were considered (age, gender, place of residence, parents' occupation), agents by which children were poisoned, the most frequent places where children got poisoned. The data obtained through a questionnaire filled in by parents were analysed; the parents were selected for the survey by the method of random selection. Results: The results indicate that during the analysed period there was no great frequency of acute poisoning at children's age in relation to reception of children into hospital for some other reasons, which was on average 0.50%. The most frequent poisoning in our country, as well as worldwide, is in the period 1-5 years of age (75%). There were more female children in acute poisoning in this research (63.5%). Most often the children got poisoned by medication. The children of averagely educated parents got poisoned most frequently. Poisoning occurred most frequently at home. It is obvious from the questionnaire that the parents of underage children were well instructed in acute poisoning prevention. Conclusion: We can conclude that it is necessary to go on working on education first of all of parents, then close relatives, a guardian living with a child and of children themselves in order to reduce further incidence of poisoning at children's age.