Severity grading of childhood poisoning: the Multicentre Study of Poisoning in Children (MSPC) score.

Scores for severity grading of childhood poisoning may be useful in comparing different causes of poisoning, in order to identify the main risks and their changes over time. The Multicentre Study of Poisoning in Children score is based on four levels of severity (1-mild, 2-moderate, 3-severe, 4-very severe) involving nine target groups: seven relating to organ systems (gastrointestinal, nervous, respiratory, circulatory, renal, hepatic, skin), one to metabolic abnormalities and one to injuries from corrosive substances. Each patient is classified by the highest level attributed to any one of the nine groups.

[Acute carbon monoxide poisoning in children].

Epidemiological and clinical aspects of 233 children below 14 years of age with acute carbon-monoxide poisoning are presented. Patients were recorded in the retrospective part of the M.S.

The risk associated with poisonings in children.

The risk associated with poisonings in children was assessed on 6175 subjects admitted to the pediatric hospitals of 3 regions of Northern Italy between 1975 and 1990. The frequency of exposures and the severity of sequelae allowed high- and low-risk substances to be identified. Risks were studied separately in the 0-4, 5-9 and 10-13 y age group to determine age-related differences.

[Child abuse by intoxication].

Child abuse by toxic substances is not easy to identify due to both the lack of signs of physical violence and the high incidence of accidental poisonings. Twelve cases of documented abuse, out of 6175 poisonings in children aged 0-13 years, were registered during 1975-1990 at Genova, Torino and Trieste Children Hospitals. In other 139 children the suspicion of abuse couldn't be confirmed.

[The activities of a pediatric emergency department. The emergency problems].

The authors reviewed records of admission at the Fist Ais-Emergency Service of "G. Gaslini" Children's Hospital, data referring both to in and outpatients. First of all we took into account epidemiological data analysing occurrence and types of diseases; at the same time a demographic study, which aimed to show a decrease in the child population in Genova, was performed.