Deadly ingestions

The mantra of toxicology is that "the dose makes the poison," and in the case of pediatric ingestions, this is very true. There are scores of products and agents that can be deadly if the appropriate "dose" is ingested. This article presents only a few of the potentially deadly ingestions this patient population might encounter, but the clinician is cautioned to use sound judgment in managing children presenting with a history of being found with pills in their possession. In addition, social issues surrounding the ingestion should be considered when making a disposition.