[Comparative study of acute poisonings in Belgian children and immigrant workers children].

This survey covers 786 children admitted with acute poisoning to the Saint-Pierre Hospital in Brussels between 1967 and 1976. The type and the frequency of products responsible for poisoning in the indigenous and immigrant children are compared. 45% of children admitted to hospital are immigrants but they constitute only 29% of the children admitted with poisoning. When compared with Belgian children, the immigrants more commonly ingest household products and ordinary drugs are taken more often than prescribed ones, but minor tranquillisers are particularly common. The socio-economic and psychologic factors responsible for these accidents are discussed and methods of prevention are suggested.