Abstract
Introduction: Drug poisonings arise due to complex mechanisms and the high rate of these events in our country is multifactorial, among them a wide variety of formulations, the proliferation of drugstores, prescription errors and pharmaceutical dispensing, allied to a weakness in the ability to supervise. Objective: To evaluate the occurrence of drug poisoning in children, identifying the main classes and factors involved. Methodology: This was a descriptive study, such as literature review. The following search descriptors “intoxication”, “medicines” and “children” were searched, integrated in the SCIELO and MEDLINE databases. Results: Cases of drug poisoning in children aged 0 to 9 years represent 33% of the total cases. Although the main cause is attempted suicide in the child population, the highest incidence was due to accidents, or after a medical prescription, with errors in administration. The main drugs involved were nasal decongestants, bronchodilators, analgesics and anti-inflammatories. Conclusion: The occurrence of drug intoxications is frequently recorded in health systems, and the percentages are higher in children, so it is of utmost importance that the teaching about the use of medicines is carried out from the earliest years of life.
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