Kerosene poisoningin children

A prospective study was carried out on 64 children admitted with accidental kerosene ingestion in AL- Khansa teaching hospital for children in Mosul in the period from the first of July 1999 to the 31 1st. of December 1999. Most children (73.4%) were one to three years. And male to female ratio was 3:1. The most common presenting symptoms were cough 55 (85.9%), dyspnea 51 (79.7%), vomiting 41(64%), and drowsiness in 13 (20.3%). Fever appeared Later on (more than 6hours after ingestion of kerosene) in 32 (50%) of patients and continued for 2-8 days. Forty two patients (75%) developed kerosene aspiration pneumonitis within 6hours after ingestion of kerosene which was diagnosed mainly by radiological examination rather than by clinical findings. Right basal infiltration was the commonest radiological finding.40.6%. Vomiting seems to be the major risk factor for development of pneumonitis which is found in 85.4 % of those who developed vomiting (p=0.01). Routine. antibiotic were given to all admitted patients and have been found that it has no role in decreasing the duration of fever. (p>0.05) One patient deterioated rapidly and died within few minutes after arrival. All patients improved clinically and radiologically within 3-10 days, complete radiological recovery did not take place until 12-28 days in as inany as (60%) of patients.