TY - JOUR PY - 2019// TI - Acute poisoning among children and adolescents in southern Norway JO - Tidsskrift for den Norske Laegeforening A1 - Ulseth, Elisabeth Tallaksen A1 - Freuchen, Anne A1 - Köpp, Unni Mette Stamnes SP - ePub EP - ePub VL - 139 IS - 13 N2 - BACKGROUND: Self-inflicted poisoning is common in adolescents and is a risk factor for suicide. The aim of this study was to survey the circumstances surrounding hospitalisations due to acute poisoning in patients aged up to 18 years. MATERIAL AND METHOD: All hospitalisations in the Departments of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Sørlandet Hospital Trust (Arendal and Kristiansand) due to acute poisoning in the period 1 August 2014-31 July 2015 were prospectively recorded with the aid of a form completed during the admission.

RESULTS: There were 88 hospitalisations distributed among 68 adolescents (mean age 15.5 years, SD 1.5) and 13 children (mean age 2.8 years, SD 2.8). The poisoning was categorised as self-harm behaviour in 32 (47 %) of the adolescents, and as substance misuse-related in 35 (52 %). In total, 37 (54 %) of the adolescents had been or were under treatment at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Fifteen (22 %) of the adolescents were deemed to be suicidal. Thirty (94 %) of the adolescents who reported self-harm as the intention behind their poisoning were offered further follow-up at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, along with 7 (20 %) of the group with substance misuse-related poisoning.

INTERPRETATION: Adolescents who reported self-harm as their intention were usually offered further follow-up, whereas adolescents with substance misuse-related poisoning were rarely offered follow-up.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0029-2001 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.4045/tidsskr.17.1116 ID - ref1 ER -