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Ethanol exposure among young children can result in significant morbidity. Infants and young children can be exposed to ethanol in many different ways: exploratory ingestion, mixed in formula-both intentionally and unintentionally, etc.
A recently published study used national poison data system to characterize the ethanol exposure among infants < 12 months of age.
Results:
Between 2009-2018, 1,818 ethanol exposures among infants were reported. Oral ingestion was the most common (96.7%; n=1738). Annual number of ethanol exposure increased by 37.5% each year.
Exposure site
- Residence: 96.7% (n=1,758)
- Public are/workplace or school: 1.6% (n=29)
Age
- 0-2 months: 16.3% (n=296)
- 3-5 months: 19.6% (n=357)
- 6-8 months: 18.8% (n=341)
- 9-11 months: 45.3% (n=824)
Clinically significant effects
- Coma: 20
- Hypoglycemia: 16
- Respiratory depression: 15
- Seizures: 13
- Hypothermia: 9
- Cardiac arrest: 4
- Respiratory arrest: 3
- Death: 5
563 infants (31%) were evaluated at hospital
38% (n=214) of the exposures were hospitalized
0-5 months of age
- higher odds of admission: non-critical (OR: 2.35, 95% CI: 1.41-3.92) or critical care unit (OR: 2.39; 95% CI:1.5-3.79)
- higher odds of serious outcome (OR: 4.65; 95% IC: 3.18-6.79)
Conclusion
Ethanol exposure among infants is increasing each year and associated with serious clinical effects.
References
Gaw CE et al. Beverage ethanol exposure among infants reported to United States pison control centers 2020 Clin Toxicol (Phila) https://doi.org/10.1080/15563650.2020.1843658