A rare cause of poisoning in childhood: yellow phosphorus.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Yellow phosphorus poisoning is rare, but when it occurs, it may result in pathological changes in almost all organs of the body, especially the liver, heart, kidney, spleen, and brain, and it has a significant mortality rate. OBJECTIVES: This report presents two cases of poisoning by yellow phosphorus in children. Yellow phosphorus ingestion rarely has been reported among the pediatric population. CASE REPORT This report presents two cases of yellow phosphorus poisoning in children. The patients were admitted with upper abdominal pain, vomiting, lethargy, and respiratory distress. Laboratory testing revealed hepatotoxicity and coagulation disorder. Yellow phosphorus poisoning was treated with conservative therapy in both patients, and one patient died. CONCLUSION: Yellow phosphorus poisoning is a rare clinical entity and should be considered a dangerous toxic ingestion in children.