The British Journal of Psychiatry 129: 539-543 (1976)
© 1976 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
A psychosocial study of accidental poisoning in Egyptian children
A Okasha, Z Bishry, NM Osman and M Kamel
One hundred and twenty-seven accidentally poisoned children from the
emergency room of the Islamic Girls College, Cairo, were compared with an
equal number of controls. The highest age incidence for both sexes in
poisoned children was 36 months. Males outnumbered females at a ratio of
3:2. Behavioural problems such as hyperactivity, temper tantrums,
aggression, stubbornness, nocturnal enuresis and impulsiveness occurred
more often in poisoned children than in controls and more often in those
(24 patients) referred with accidental poisoning on more than one occasion.
The families of poisoned children differed significantly from the controls
in their large size, low level of education, disturbed home atmosphere and
the accessibility to the child of the poisonous substance.