Chapter 9 - For The Safety of Canadian Children And Youth - Public Health Agency of Canada

Chapter 9

Unintentional Poisonings

HIGHLIGHTS

Unintentional poisonings in children and youth under 20 ranked third among all hospitalizations for unintentional injury between 1990 and 1992 for that age group. The death rate was among the lowest. Hospitalization rates among 1-4-year-olds were much higher than in other age groups and were mainly attributable to medication and biological products. Between 1984 and 1992, the hospitalization rate for unintentional poisoning among children and youth declined by almost 25%, whereas the death rate seems to have levelled off after a decline observed in the late 1970s (Statistics Canada).

According to CHIRPP data for 1993, most poisonings (92.4%) occurred in the home. Among children aged 4 or younger, the majority of poisonings occurred in a bedroom or the living room (44.7%) followed by the kitchen and the bathroom. Among youths aged 15 or older, more than 20% of poisonings occurred in sports and recreational areas and schools. The following is an example from written comments by CHIRPP for this age group: "was found unconscious beside the campfire, had consumed an unknown quantity of alcohol".

Medication is a major source of unintentional poisoning. A survey of five Canadian Poison Control Centres identified the 10 products covered by the Food and Drugs Act that generate the largest number of calls for poisonings in the under-5 age group and that represent a major poisoning hazard. The products most often reported (in descending order) were as follows: acetaminophen, cold medication, multivitamins without iron, rubbing alcohol, nail polish remover, iron, multivitamins with iron, acetylsalicylic acid, camphor and essential oils. Calls to PCCs indicate that parents often consider certain medication to be as harmless as candy, leading to similar perceptions in children.

CHAPTER 9
Unintentional Poisonings