Drug intoxication in children

Drug intoxication in children is a major national and international public health problem. In this study, we investigated the epidemiological, clinical and evolutionary characteristics of drug intoxications in children in the pediatrics department of the Habib Bougatfa Hospital in Bizerte over a 3-year period. We collected 57 cases of drug intoxication, with an overall incidence of 1.5%. The average age of hospitalized children was 4 years, and the majority of intoxications were accidental (80%). The drugs most frequently involved were neuroleptics, beta2 mimetics and paracetamol. The majority of children were asymptomatic on admission, and the outcome was favorable in 87.5% of cases. However, death was noted in 28% of cases. Our results underline the importance of prevention and vigilance to avoid these drug intoxications. We propose awareness campaigns for parents and the creation of a poison control center to facilitate toxicological research.