H poisoning in children it is the seventh leading cause of death according to the World Health Organization. Childhood drug poisoning is one of the incidents that the pediatrician is called to manage in daily practice and requires urgent and effective treatment.

In the context of an epidemiological study in the pediatric clinics of Thessaloniki and Kilkis, 284 cases of pharmaceutical poisoning were recorded between 1-1-2017 and 1-1-2020, with poisonings being more frequent in preschool children and effebears. In fact, almost half (47%) were between the ages of 1-3 years.

The most common drugs were Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, with more frequent active substances the ibuprofen and paracetamol and the most common form of these drugs were the tablets.

The study in question by M. Fourikos and G. Papazisis from the Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine AUTH and E. Ghikas and N. Raikou, Laboratory of Forensics and Toxicology, Department of Medicine AUTH was presented at the 13th Scientific Conference of the Department of Medicine AUTH.

“Most poisonings were the result of unintentional intake, while teenagers, especially girls, and the group of foreign children (refugees and immigrants) often carried out intentional poisoning, mainly by taking paracetamol. In almost all cases the medicine was available at home.

Most children presented to a health facility in time and were asymptomatic. To treat the poisoning, activated charcoal was mainly administered and gastric lavage was performed. In some cases a specific antidote was used, most often N-acetylcysteine, and a sample was sent for toxicological analysis. The outcome was very good in 98% of cases with full recovery usually after one or two days of hospitalization,” the research states, among other things.

The study concludes that: “the problem of children’s drug poisoning is common and prevention measures are needed that include informing parents and teachers, rules for safer storage of drugs at home and possibly the manufacture of safer for children packaging by pharmaceutical companies companies.