Non-traumatic injuries in childhood: an epidemiological survey.
BACKGROUND
Accident is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in childhood. The incidence of various non-traumatic injuries has increased due to proliferation of many chemical products and curiosity of little children, which needs our special attention for prevention.


METHODS
Two hundred and sixty-six children were sent to the pediatric emergency room of Veterans General Hospital-Taipei from January 1990 to December 1993 with a diagnosis of non-traumatic injuries. Retrospective analysis of their medical records was performed.


RESULTS
Household materials were the most common ingested material causing non-traumatic injuries, followed by drugs, foreign bodies and gases. The male to female ratio was 1.3:1. The children were most commonly 1 to 3 years of age (66.2%), especially between 13 to 24 months. Benzodiazepines, pesticides and coins were the most common causes in drug, household material and foreign body groups, respectively. Sixty-two percent of cases had symptoms, and the major presentations occurred in central nervous system. Ninety-two percent of non-traumatic injuries happened at home, and ninety-two percent of the events were accidental. Approximately thirty percent of patients needed hospitalization. Ultimately, two cases died and another three had severe sequelae.


CONCLUSIONS
Boys at 1-3 years of age had the highest proportion among young victims of non-traumatic injuries especially via accidental ingestion or poisoning, and home was the most common site of event. Proper prevention with education to the parents and children is of the most importance to eliminate such injuries.
Jeng
M J
MJ
Department of Pediatrics, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Soong
W J
WJ
Hwang
B
B
D000059:Accidents; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control