Even though they are less likely to be mobile, infants 6
months and younger are involved in unintentional poisonings, according to a new
study. The research, published online Jan. 13 and in the February print issue
of the journal Pediatrics, found that one-third of the poisonings were related
to medication errors.
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| New data act as a reminder about accidental poisoning |
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“I was surprised with the large number of exposures even in
this young age group,” lead author A. Min Kang, MD, a medical toxicology fellow
at Banner-University Medical Center in Phoenix, told HealthDay. “Pediatricians
typically do not begin poison prevention education until about 6 months of age,
since the traditional hazard we think about is the exploratory ingestion – that
is when kids begin to explore their environment and get into things they’re not
supposed to,” Kang added.
For the study, Kang and his colleagues reviewed all poison
control center contacts in the National Poison Data System files for calls on
infants 6 months and younger from 2014 to 2013. Their findings showed that of
the more than 270,000 exposures reported during that time, 97 percent were
accidental. Most of the calls did not result in hospitalization, but there were
73 deaths.
About half the poison center calls were the result of
“general unintentional ingestion,” which included the baby exploring and
swallowing a hazardous substance. Another 36.7 percent of the exposures were
due to medication errors.
Among the medication exposures, 47 percent involved dosage
mistakes. The remaining 43 percent involved giving a medication twice or too
soon, or giving an infant the wrong medication. Almost all exposures happened
at home, and most involved a single substance, usually a liquid.
Acetaminophen
(Tylenol) was involved in more than 22,000 medication exposures and nearly
5,000 general exposures. Kang told HealthDay this high rate reflects the frequent
use of acetaminophen because it is recommended for infants instead of
ibuprofen.
Other common medication exposures included cough and cold
products, antibiotics, antihistamines
and ibuprofen. Kang noted that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
strongly recommends against using cold
or cough preparations in
children younger than 2.
The most common general exploratory ingestions included
diaper care and rash products, acetaminophen, and gastrointestinal products
such as those prescribed to treat an infant’s acid reflux. Kang emphasized that
even though infants are not very mobile, anything they can get hold of generally
winds up in their mouth.
“Caregivers should try to be aware of the surroundings in
which they place an infant because even if they are not mobile, they can still
grab things within reaching distance and the first thing they will do is put it
in the mouth,” Kang told Reuters. “Be mindful of older siblings and restrict
their access to dangerous substances because they may share things that they
find,” Kang also advised.
Kang suggested that it might be time for doctors to provide
poison prevention education to caregivers earlier, even starting when newborns
leave the hospital.
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| Keeping kids safe from accidental poisonings |
Source: http://m.edtreatmentindia.com/
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