Severity of Acute Drug Poisonings Treated in the Pediatric Emergency Department of a Hospital in Western Mexico

Background: Acute drug poisoning is one of the leading causes of admission to pediatric emergency departments and represents a significant public health concern because of its potential severity and associated morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to describe the clinical, epidemiological, and severity characteristics of pediatric patients with acute drug poisoning treated at a tertiary care hospital in western Mexico. Methods: A retrospective, observational, descriptive study was conducted in the pediatric emergency department of Nuevo Hospital Civil de Guadalajara “Dr. Juan I. Menchaca” from January 2016 to December 2024. Results: The mean age of the patients was 77.1 months, with a predominance of females (61.9%). Most poisoning events (97.1%) occurred in the home. Accidental poisoning was the most frequent mechanism (54.5%), followed by suicide attempts (24.4%) and drug overdoses (17.6%). Regarding medical care, 50% of patients arrived at the emergency department within the first four hours after exposure, and 55.1% had a hospital stay of less than 12 h. The most involved drug groups were anxiolytics, mainly benzodiazepines (21.6%), followed by polypharmacy (17.6%) and antiemetic use (13.6%). The most frequent toxidrome was hypnotic–sedative syndrome (42.6% of cases). Multivariate analysis showed that exposure to anticonvulsants was significantly associated with a longer hospital stay (odds ratio [OR] = 7.31, p = 0.003). Most cases were classified as mild according to the Poisoning Severity Score, and no deaths were reported. Conclusions: Although pediatric drug poisoning generally has a favorable prognosis, it remains a significant public health issue. These findings highlight the need for targeted preventive strategies, including caregiver education, safe medication storage at home, and increased awareness and training programs for both families and healthcare professionals.