Ingestion of toxic substances by children.

EPIDEMIOLOGY • American Association of Poison Control Centers’ database reports ∼ 1 million exposures to poisonings each year in children < 6 years of age • Substances most available to children include those items in the home, such as cosmetics, cleaning products, analgesics, plants, cough medicine, foreign bodies, topical agents, pesticides, vitamins and hydrocarbons • Increased risk of death with cocaine, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, iron supplements