title: [Postmortem detection of accidental methadone intoxication in a 10-year-old girl].
abstract: Intoxications in children still account for a large part of the cases reported to poison control centres. Among drug intoxications, substitution drugs have gained in importance lately. Careless storage of take-home medications puts children living in the same household at risk. The authors report on a fatal case of a 10-year-old girl who died from intoxication with methadone belonging to a carer. The accidental intoxication had not been diagnosed at the hospital where the girl was treated for suspected meningitis. The question of medical malpractice is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Rechtsmedizin der Universität Freiburg.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thierauf
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pollak
authors.forename: Markus Grosse
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Perdekamp
mesh_terms: D000061:Accidents, Home / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000506:poisoning* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001344:Autopsy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008691:Methadone / Q000506:poisoning* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010210:Papillary Muscles / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D008691:Methadone