Poisoning: Prevention and Treatement
Rationale
Poisonings and ingestions are major preventable causes of childhood morbidity and mortality. Poison control centers across the U.S. receive more than 2 million calls a year regarding accidental ingestions and exposures to toxic material. Poison prevention counseling has a major positive impact on reduction of poisoning.
Objectives
- Describe the epidemiology of poisoning and ingestions:
- Explain why infants, toddlers and young children are especially vulnerable
for unintentional ingestions and poisoning.
- Discuss the reasons for intentional ingestions in adolescents, including
risk taking, experimentation, substance abuse, and suicide.
- Identify the environmental sources of lead and discuss the clinical and
social impact of lead poisoning.
- Outline strategies for poison prevention at all ages.
- Describe the clinical manifestations, toxicity, and basic management of
- Ingestions of acetaminophen, aspirin, caustic agents, hydrocarbons,
iron, lead and tricyclic antidepressants.
- Exposure to carbon monoxide.
- Know the indications, contraindications and appropriate use of
- Syrup of ipecac
- Gastric lavage
- Activated charcoal
- Specific antidotes
- Describe the resources available to the physician for acute poisoning management,
including Poison Information Centers and textbooks.