Pediatric Poisoning
Introduction
Patients less than 17 years of age account for 66 percent of reported exposures and
9 percent of all fatalities from poisoning. Medications, including iron, alcohol,
hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide are some of the most common and serious agents; the
kitchen and the bathroom are the locations where most ingestion in children occur.
Initial management
Patients present an average of 68 minutes after the ingestion.
-
First and foremost is the evaluation and management of the ABCs (airway, breathing, and
circulation).
-
History: Agent, time, and amount ingested, any symptoms, medical history, if unknown:
consider occupation, search of location.
-
Physical Exam: Vital signs, mental status, pupillary signs, skin, odor.
If the patient has a depressed mental status
-
Dextrose 0.5-1.0 g/kg, 2-4 cc/kg D 25 for a child or 50cc D 50 for a teenager; may
repeat boluses or infusion, or give glucagon 1 mg IM if no IV access.
-
Naloxone 2mg (1mg/cc), can repeat Q2-5min to total 10mg; lasts 20-30 min; may need
repeat boluses.
-
The differential diagnosis for depressed mental status includes sepsis, meningitis,
trauma, seizures, hypo/hyperthermia, central nervous system (CNS) mass lesions, and
metabolic derangement.
Labs
Dextrostix, serum
glucose, electrolytes, monitor/EKG, toxicology of
blood/serum/vomitus, arterial blood gas
(ABG), abdominal films. Especially look for
arrhythmias, metabolic acidosis, seizures, and GI disturbance.
Gastric decontamination
Traditional methods of lavage, catharsis, and activated charcoal are undergoing
reassessment; each has benefits and risks that apply to individual cases. Before choosing
an intervention, the physician must determine:
-
Is gastric emptying indicated? The substance may be either nontoxic or potentially
lethal, or there may be a contraindication to emptying (acid/alkali).
-
Is the substance still present in the stomach and is decontamination likely to work? The
substance may be rapidly absorbed, may decrease GI motility, or the patient may already
have vomited.
Decontamination
Clinical studies to compare efficacy of techniques are limited. Syrup of Ipecac and
lavage are considered to have generally equal efficacy in clearing the stomach; activated charcoal
is the most frequently used and the most effective decontamination agent. Certain
patients can be treated appropriately without gastric emptying and with activated charcoal
only.
Syrup of
Ipecac
This should not be used routinely. Dose: 6-12months, 10 cc; 1-10years of age, 30cc;
follow with water; induces emesis within 20-60 minutes.
Disadvantages:
-
Patient must be conscious, have a good gag, and no potential for decrease in mental
status (this rules out many serious ingestions).
-
Must use within 1 hour of ingestion.
-
Protracted emesis delays giving activated charcoal.
-
Avoid with caustics or hydrocarbons.
Advantages:
Lavage 36-40 F orogastric tube.
Can use in any patient with a potentially toxic ingestion, in whom toxin may still be
present, where procedure can be done safely. If the mental status is depressed, you must intubate
first to prevent aspiration.
Activated Charcoal
-
When: Recommended after ingestion of an agent that may be absorbed (not iron, lithium,
and heavy metals).
-
Avoid if GI obstruction is present or suspected, or if endoscopy may be necessary (acid
and alkali ingestions).
-
Complications include vomiting, diarrhea, and aspiration. Remember to intubate first if
the mental status is depressed.
-
Dose: 1-2 g/kg, made as a slurry with H2O or sorbitol to 25%; aim for charcoal: poison
ratio of 10:1.
Multiple dose regimen: Can increase adsorptive capacity, prevent reabsorption of poison
in enterohepatic circulation, and enhance elimination with gut dialysis (creates
concentration gradient):
-
Repeat 1 g/kg every 2-4 hours; may use smaller doses more frequently and antiemetics if
necessary.
-
Avoid sorbitol in repeat doses (electrolyte instability).
-
Very useful especially for theophylline, aspirin, Tegretol,
phenobarbitol, and tricyclics.
Acetaminophen overdose. Although charcoal may bind N-acetylcysteine (NAC), there is no
evidence that activated charcoal
inhibits efficacy. Activated charcoal
can be alternated Q2 hr with NAC, each at its own 4-hr interval. Treatment with NAC has priority over treatment with activated charcoal
in a patient with a toxic acetaminophen
level.
Whole Bowel Irrigation
Used safely in surgical preps, e.g., Golytely, Colyte; 0.5L/hr for a small child, 2
L/hr for a teen, until clear (4-6 L per hr). This treatment can be considered for patients
who ingest a substance that is absorbed by charcoal; massive ingestion; or patients who
don't tolerate charcoal.
Pediatric poisoning treatment algorithm
Specific Toxins and Antidotes
Acetaminophen |
N-acetylcysteine
(Mucomyst)
Load: 140
mg/kg (PO)
Maintenance: 70 mg/kg x 17 doses every 4 hours. |
Anticholinergic |
Physostigmine
Child: 0.01-0.03 mg/kg
up to 0.5 mg slowly IV (over 5 to 10 minutes)
Use only with extreme caution. |
Anticholinesterases |
Atropine
0.05 mg/kg IM/IV every 5 to
10 minutes until secretions dried or full
atropinization occurs. |
Organophosphates |
Pralidoxime chloride (2-PAM)
Children:
25-50 mg/kg IV slowly; may repeat dose in one hour |
Alcohols,
Methanol,
Ethylene glycol |
Ethanol
Load: 10ml/kg of 10% ethanol
in D5W
Maintenance: 1.5 ml/kg/hour of same. Achieve ethanol level of 100 mg/dl |
Benzodiazapines |
Flumazenil
0.01 mg/kg IV |
Beta
blockers |
Glucagon
50-150 mcg/kg IV |
Carbon
Monoxide |
Oxygen
100% by tight-fitting mask or
hyperbaric oxygen. |
Cyanide |
Sodium nitrite
0.33 ml (10ml)/kg IV
of 3% solution
Sodium thiosulfate
1.65 ml/kg IV of 25% solution (must reduce if Hgb less than 12 gm to prevent
MetHgb |
Digoxin |
Fab antibodies (Digibind)
Dose is
based upon estimated body burden. See package insert. |
Iron |
Deferoxamine
Begin at 5 - 15
mg/kg/hour. Monitor for hypotension during infusion.
Consider whole bowel irrigation.
|
Isoniazid
(INH) |
Pyridoxine 5 to 10%
1 gram per gram
of INH ingested, IV slowly over 30 to 60 minutes. |
Narcotics |
Naloxone
0.1 mg/kg IV/IM/ETT/IO
Newborn to 5 years (20kg), then 2 mg minimum. |
Warfarin |
Vitamin K
1 - 5 mg IV/IM/SC/PO |
Remember
-
Contact a local/national poison control center; document their advice for treatment of
the patient.
-
Know the substances tested by the lab's drug and toxicologic screens, and the time it
takes to run them.
Reviewed by CDR Wendy Bailey, MC, USN, Pediatric Specialty Leader, Naval Medical
Center San Diego, San Diego, CA (1999).
|
Preface
· Administrative Section
· Clinical Section
The
General Medical Officer Manual , NAVMEDPUB 5134, January 1, 2000
Bureau
of Medicine and Surgery, Department of the Navy, 2300 E Street NW, Washington, D.C.,
20372-5300
This
web version of The General Medical Officer Manual, NAVMEDPUB 5134 is provided by
The Brookside Associates
Medical Education Division. It contains original contents from the
official US Navy version, but has been reformatted for web access and
includes advertising and links that were not present in the original version.
This web version has not been approved by the Department of the Navy or the
Department of Defense. The presence of any advertising on these pages does not
constitute an endorsement of that product or service by either the Department of
Defense or the Brookside Associates. The Brookside Associates is a private
organization, not affiliated with the United States Department of Defense. All
material in this version is unclassified. This formatting © 2006
Medical Education Division,
Brookside Associates, Ltd.
All rights reserved.
Home
·
Textbooks and Manuals
·
Videos
·
Lectures
·
Distance Learning
·
Training
·
Operational Safety
·
Search
This website is dedicated to the development and dissemination of medical information that may be useful to those who practice Operational Medicine. This website is privately-held and not connected to any governmental agency. The views expressed here are those of the authors, and unless otherwise noted, do not necessarily reflect the views of
the Brookside Associates, Ltd., any governmental or private organizations. All writings, discussions, and publications on this website are unclassified.
© 2006 Medical Education Division, Brookside Associates, Ltd. All rights reserved
Other Brookside Products
Contact Us
|
|