What are the most frequent and serious causes of child poisoning?
The top three most frequent and seri‐ ous causes of accidental poisonings in children in France were household cleaning products, human medica‐ tions, and carbon monoxide, ac‐ cording to a new report.
France's National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (Anses) said that while most accidental poisonings are harm‐ less, some can be serious or even fa‐ tal.
They outlined the top causes of accidental poisonings that led to a call to a poison control centre, a trip to the emergency room, or hospitali‐ sation between 2014 and 2020.
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Among cleaning products, laundry detergent was most o en a cause of poisoning in children under 15, espe‐ cially liquid detergent capsules.
Medicines such as ibuprofen, as‐ pirin, paracetamol, antidepressants, and cardiovascular drugs caused the most frequent and serious poisonings in children under six, according to Anses.
Children are also vulnerable to carbon monoxide poisoning. The colourless and odourless gas can be made by appliances used for heating if they are not maintained or installed correctly.
Other serious causes of poisoning
In France, between 2014 and 2020 there were roughly 9,100 cases per year of children under six taken to the emergency department for poisoning and roughly 3,800 cases a year of chil‐ dren who were hospitalised.
The top cause of visits to the emergency room for children under six was due to contact with venom from stinging caterpillars, wasps, bees, hornets and other anthropods. This represented 30 per cent of trips to the emergency room for poisoning or some 2,800 per year.
The report also highlighted an in‐ crease in poisonings related to in‐ gesting cannabis, especially in chil‐ dren under one.
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Between 2014 and 2020, there were more than 250 hospitalisations a year for children under six due to in‐ gesting cannabis. The drug was also the top cause of intensive care admis‐ sion for poisoning in children under six.
The number of cannabis poison‐ ings and the number of children treated in intensive care for them in‐ creased between 2014 and 2020, Anses found.
The agency recommended putting products out of reach of children, putting away medications, and proper use of heating appliances.