[Epidemiology of pediatric paracetamol poisoning (retrospective analysis of calls received by the Poison Control Center of Tours)].

The authors analysed 101 phone calls received in 3 years and 8 months at the Poison Control Center of Tours for paracetamol poisoning in children under 15 years of age. 70% of children were between 1 and 5 years old, 15% under 1 year and 15% over 5 years old. The kind of poisoning differ according to age: iatrogenic in 93% of cases under 1 year old (medication given by parents; error in dosage); accidental in 85% of cases between 1 and 5 years old and "willful" poisoning (43%) or accidental (36%) over 5 years old. The average quantity of ingested paracetamol was low (58mg/kg). The delay before phone call from an individual or a doctor was usually quite short. The neurologic or digestive signs were present in 12% of the children. The outcome was uneventful in all cases indicating that this form of poisoning is being in childrens.