Investigating Childhood and Adolescence Poisoning Exposures in New Zealand Reported to the National Poisons Centre during 2000-2009

  Background: Poisoning incidents, in both children and adolescents, are known to occur in New Zealand but little is known about the agents implicated.   Methods: All the calls received over the ten years between 2000 and 2009, by the National Poison Centre in New Zealand, were retrospectively reviewed. Calls related to cases involving those less than 19 years were included. The data were analyzed according to age and gender of cases, the toxic agent implicated in the poisoning and the year of the incident.   Results: Most poisonings occurred in children less than five years of age (86%), with these being further concentrated in children aged one to two years (57%). The most frequently implicated agents were therapeutic agents (39%) and then household products (36%). In adolescents, an increase in drug misuse or abuse was seen from 12 years old – with those aged 13 and 18 years being most frequently exposed to agents with psychotropic properties.   Conclusion: This study showed that accidental (and intentional) ingestion is still an issue for children and adolescents in New Zealand. Specific strategies are needed to be targeted to the 1) products implicated in a high number of poisonings and 2) to children at the different ages.