Kerosene Intoxication in Dr. Pirngadi Hospital Medan, Indonesia

Arman Panjaitan (Department of Child Health, Universitas Sumatera Utara Medical School/Dr. Pirngadi General Hospital, Medan, North Sumatera)
Endang D. Hamid (Department of Child Health, Universitas Sumatera Utara Medical School/Dr. Pirngadi General Hospital, Medan, North Sumatera)
Dachrul Ardi (Department of Child Health, Universitas Sumatera Utara Medical School/Dr. Pirngadi General Hospital, Medan, North Sumatera)
Zakaria Siregar (Department of Child Health, Universitas Sumatera Utara Medical School/Dr. Pirngadi General Hospital, Medan, North Sumatera)

Paediatrica Indonesiana
Vol 24 No 11-12 (1984): November - December 1984

A retrospective study on kerosene intoxication in children was conducted in Dr. Pirngadi Hospital Medan during the period 1976- 1981. In this period 13504 children were hospitalized of which 144 cases ( 1. 66%) were with kerosene intoxication. Age peak incidence was 1- 3 years (75.69%), of whom 66.66% were boys. Male to female ratio was 96 to 48 ( 2 : 1 ). The majority of cases were brought to the hospital in less than one hour after ingestion of kerosene. The major presenting symptoms were coughing (45.83%}, vomiting (40.28%}, dyspnea (25.65%}, bronchopneumonia (15.97%) and restlessness (7.59%}. Mortality was 5.55%. Careless storage was the main cause of kerosene intoxication.