PROFILE OF CHILDHOOD POISONING: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY FROM A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN ASSAM

Acute poisoning forms a substantial part of emergency visits to a hospital for the pediatric population. It is mostly noted amongst the families in the lower socio-economic strata of the society with limited access to the basic amenities of life. Majority of childhood poisonings are unintentional, occur at home, and home surroundings and hence preventable. It is a retrospective study conducted in the Department of Pediatrics of Fakhruddin AliMETHODOLOGY: Ahmed Medical College & Hospital, Barpeta,Assam. To determine the types of acute childhood poisoning andOBJECTIVE: demographic prole in children admitted Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College & Hospital. A total of 69 cases ofRESULT: poisoning was reported during the study period. 46 (66.6%) were males while 23 (33.33%) were females. Mineral oil was the most common cause of poisoning (40.5%), followed by organophosphorus compounds (28.9%), drugs (11.5%) and unknown causes (18.8%).Of the 69 cases, 61 (89.8%)were discharged while 8(11.1%) cases went home against medical advice. CONCLUSION: Acute poisoning in children is mostly accidental in nature, with preventable morbidity and mortality.In our study, mineral oil and organophosphorus compounds were the most common causes as the study population comprised of cases of lower socioeconomic strata and mostly related to the agrarian sector. Careful storage of household products and keeping medicines in child-proof containers may reduce poisoning to a great extent.