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Pattern And Determinants Of Poisoning In Children Registered In Jeddah Poison Control Center 2018 Cross-Sectional Study

Dhoha Omar Alamoudi, Bayan Abdulrahman Aldeibani, Hanen Omar Bamged, Sulafa Al-Qutub

Aim: To determine the pattern including route and types of different kinds of toxins exposure among children less than 18 years in who registered in the poison control center in Jeddah 2018. Method: A cross-sectional record -based study conducted among the pediatrics age group till the age of 18 years in who registered in the poison control center in Jeddah 2018. Result: The result revealed that the majority of the cases were from the age group of younger than five years ( 54.9%) and the majority was at home (59%), almost half of the cases were accidental (47.2%) and (60.4%) through oral administration. The most common symptoms were vomiting, nausea, drowsiness, abdominal pain, convulsion, and irritability. The most common poisoning types were analgesics, anticonvulsants, fire smoke inhalation, and pesticides. The rate of accidental and at home cases was significantly higher among younger age children and female (p=0.0001), (P = 0.025), (P=0.031), respectively. Conclusion: An adequate knowledge on chemical poisoning patterns in a particular place would help in detecting potential risk factors related to poisoning. In which this will help in early diagnosis, correct management, and hence a decline in morbidity and mortality rates. Recommendation: There is a need for more community-based education programs to raise the level of awareness on the storage of chemical substances and drugs. Also, high level of child supervision is mandatory. Moreover, conducting workshops on the first aid skills aiming at teaching the public about how to manage poisoning cases before patients` transfer to the hospital. Keywords: Poisoning, Pattern and Determinants, children and adolescent, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.