Drug Ingestions in Children 10-14 Years old: an old Problem Revisited

A retrospective chart review was done of 10-14-year-olds hospitalized for drug ingestion between 1993-1995 & 2000-2004. Odds ratios & chi-square were used for analyses. From 1993-1995, there were 92.8 ingestions per 100,000 children per year; from 2000-2004, there were 63.3 ingestions per 100,000 children per year. More males ingested in 2000-2004 than 1993-1995. More patients took psychiatric medications in 2004-2004 than 1993-1995. More patients ingested selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in 2000-2004 than 1993-1995; fewer ingested tricyclics. (20 refs.)