Poisoning

Children, especially those under age 6, are more likely to experience unintentional poisonings than older children and adults. Of the more than 2 million poison exposures reported in 2000, 52.7% occurred among children younger than age six The most common poison exposures for children were ingestion of household products such as cosmetics and personal care products, cleaning substances, pain relievers, and plants (1a).

Adolescents are also at risk for poisonings, both intentional and unintentional. About half of all poisonings among teens are classified as suicide attempts (1a).

More than 90% of all poison exposures occur in homes, and calls to poison control centers peak in the late afternoon and evening (2).

Children are more likely to suffer serious consequences from poison ingestion because they are

• Smaller
• Have faster metabolic rates
• Their bodies are less capable of handling toxic chemicals.
• The youngest children are naturally at greatest risk. (2)

Risk factors for poisoning also include sex, race, and living situation.

• Male children are more likely than females to be poisoned.
• African American children aged 5 and under have a poisoning death rate approximately twice that of white children (2).

Lead poisoning is another threat to children. Although childhood lead poisoning is considered one of the most preventable environmental diseases of young children, approximately 1 million children have elevated blood levels (1b). Elevated blood lead levels have been associated with adverse effects on cognitive development, growth, and behavior among children aged 1 to 5 years (1c). Children aged 1 to 5 are more likely to have elevated blood lead levels if they are

• Poor
• Non-Hispanic African American
• Live in older housing.
• Children aged 1 to 5 enrolled in Medicaid have a prevalence of elevated blood lead levels three times greater than children not enrolled in Medicaid (1c).

Healthy People 2010 Objectives Related to Poisoning:

15-7: Non-fatal poisonings

15-8: Death from poisonings

References:

1. CDC. 2004. Poisonings

1a.  Litovitz, 2001

1b.  CDC 2001

1c.  CDC 2000

2.  Safe Kids Campaign. 2004. Facts About Childhood Poisoning.

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