What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a retrospective review of paediatric toxic exposures and their management using data from the Toxicology Investigators Consortium (ToxIC) Registry between 2010 and 2015.
What They Found
From 2010 to 2015, 11,616 paediatric toxicology consults were recorded, with annual consultations increasing from 934 (23.7%) to 2425 (29.9%). Exposures were most common in females (57.8%) and adolescents (59.4%), primarily due to intentional ingestions (55.5%) involving analgesics (21.0%), with 38 deaths (0.9%) reported.
Canadian Relevance
Although this study used data from a US registry, the observed trends in paediatric toxic exposures, such as intentional ingestions and common agents, are likely relevant to the Canadian context. This data can help inform Canadian public health initiatives and clinical guidelines for paediatric poisoning prevention and treatment.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is its reliance on a self-reporting registry, which may introduce reporting biases and limit generalizability.