Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
to describe the profile of poisoning leading to children's hospitalizations, as registered at the Maringá Regional University Hospital Poisoning Control Center in the period 2006 to 2011.
METHODS:
this was a descriptive epidemiological study using secondary data from Intoxication Incident Report Forms, involving poisoned children aged between 0 and 14 years, hospitalized for at least 12 hours.
RESULTS:
694 hospitalizations due to poisoning were registered, with medication poisoning accounting for 42.4% of cases; the 1-4 age group was the most affected (66.7%); males accounted for a higher number of hospital admissions in all age groups; most poisoning cases occurred in the morning (55.6%).
CONCLUSION:
medication was the main cause of poisoning; younger children and males were predominant among hospitalized victims.
Key words:
Poisoning; Child; Toxic Substances; Accidents, Home; Epidemiology, Descriptive
