CHILDREN INTOXICATION BY HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS STUDY NATIONAL POISON CONTROL CENTER-CHILDREN´S HOSPITAL SOCIAL SECURITY OF COSTA RICA 2007-2016

Children are a highly vulnerable group to intoxication due to household products in conditions that can be prevented. A study of the cases registered in the National Poison Control Center of the National Hospital of Children of the Social Security of Costa Rica was carried out. All cases of children from zero to six years old from 2007 to 2016 were included. Of the total number of poisonings (104.725), 32,25% (33.774 cases) occurred in children under six years of age and 24,3% (8.207 cases) was due to household products classified in code 3 "Category of chemicals" and code 4 "Home and recreation". The results show that on average 821 cases occur (± 59) per year, 54% (4.432) of the cases were in men and 45% (3,716 cases) in women, the highest number of cases (3,500) occurred in children under one year, most cases occur in March-April, July, September and December. Most cases occur in urban areas of the Greater Metropolitan Area and less in coastal areas. The majority of poisonings, 99% (8.144 cases), were due to accidents in situations that can be prevented, 43,3% (3.551 cases) of cases were asymptomatic, 50,5% (4.147 cases) were medium, 2,5% (204 cases) were moderate, 0,3% (24 cases) were severe and there was one death in 2016; oral ingestion (88%) is the main route of exposure of the toxic agent, followed by eye contact (4%), skin (2%) and inhalation (2%). Toxic agents involved in poisoning of children belong to the group of household products used for cleaning (sodium hypochlorite, disinfectants, detergents, multipurpose cleaners) and other chemicals. It is necessary to establish preventive measures that reduce the occurrence of accidents caused by household products in children.