Scenario Analysis of Children's Ingestion Accidents

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a scenario analysis of ingestion accidents involving children under five years of age. The variables of primary interest were the location of the child and the supervising adult, what each of them was doing before the accident, the nature and location of the substance, and how it was accessed and opened. Several frequent scenarios were identified. They indicate that most ingestion accidents happen in the course of normal events in the home rather than under unusual circumstances. Another interesting finding was that products with safety caps were involved in 57% of these cases. Results demonstrate the need for a modification of cap design and a public education program for parents regarding situations that lead to ingestion accidents.

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