A rare cause of poisoning in childhood: yellow phosphorus.
BACKGROUND
Yellow phosphorus poisoning is rare, but when it occurs, it may result in pathological changes in almost all organs of the body, especially the liver, heart, kidney, spleen, and brain, and it has a significant mortality rate.


OBJECTIVE
This report presents two cases of poisoning by yellow phosphorus in children. Yellow phosphorus ingestion rarely has been reported among the pediatric population.


METHODS
This report presents two cases of yellow phosphorus poisoning in children. The patients were admitted with upper abdominal pain, vomiting, lethargy, and respiratory distress. Laboratory testing revealed hepatotoxicity and coagulation disorder. Yellow phosphorus poisoning was treated with conservative therapy in both patients, and one patient died.


CONCLUSIONS
Yellow phosphorus poisoning is a rare clinical entity and should be considered a dangerous toxic ingestion in children.
Department of Pediatrics, Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
Mustafa
M
Taskesen
Salih
S
Adıguzel
D002606:Charcoal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D053834:Explosive Agents / Q000506:poisoning*; D005260:Female; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000506:poisoning*; D010949:Plasma; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation
D053834:Explosive Agents; D002606:Charcoal; D010758:Phosphorus