ACCIDENTAL POISONING IN PRE‐SCHOOL CHILDREN IN THE STOCKHOLM AREA: Medical, Psychosocial and Preventive Aspects

Abstract

Accidental poisoning in preschool children requiring hospital admission increased 6-fold from 1955 to 1975 in the Stockholm [Sweden]. The mortality from this accident decreased from 0.5 to less than 0.1/100,000 preschool children in the whole of Sweden during the same period. Medical and psychosocial background factors were investigated in 104 consecutive in-patients (0-6 yr old) with accidental poisoning and compared to an out-patient group, a group of patients who only called the poison control center and matched control group from Child Health Centers. There were no differences between the groups regarding health and history of earlier accidents except that 20-25% of the families of the poisoned children and 7% of the control families called the Poison Control Center. Change of residence during the last 6 mo. was much commoner among families of poisoned children than of nonpoisoned. Other social stress factors were more common among in-patients than out-patients. The measures taken by the parents to combat the poisoning were adequate in most cases. The decrease in mortality inspite of the increase in potentially dangerous accidental poisonings may be attributed to a good knowledge among parents about adequate measures and where to seek advice resulting in early treatment, intensive care and antidote therapy.