Abstract
BACKGROUND:
At the direction of the Food and Drug Administration, phenolphthalein was removed from all over-the-counter laxatives in 1999. Phenolphthalein was then replaced in most laxative products with the natural product senna from
OBJECTIVE:
To describe the clinical outcomes of exposure to unintentional ingestion of senna-containing laxatives in young children.
METHODS:
All ingestion exposures of senna-containing laxatives in children <5 years of age from 6 poison centers over a 9-month period were evaluated. Inclusion criteria required 24-hour follow-up and the presence of diarrhea to confirm ingestion. Parents were told routinely that severe diaper rash was possible and to protect the perianal area with frequent cleansing and a barrier ointment if the child was wearing diapers.
RESULTS:
During the study period, 111 cases were reported: 19 children experienced no diarrhea, 4 were lost to follow-up, and 88 exposures were evaluated. Fifty-two children (59%) were ≤2 years old. Fifty children remained in diapers, 28 children were fully toilet trained, and 10 wore diapers (pull-up pants) overnight. Twenty-nine children (33%) experienced severe diaper rash. The mean ± SD time to recognition of the diaper rash was 15.6 ± 8.6 hours. Ten children (11%) had blisters and skin sloughing. There was a significant increase in severe diaper rash (p < 0.05) and onset of blisters and skin breakdown (p < 0.05) in children wearing diapers versus those who were fully toilet trained. The mean time to onset of blisters was 14.5 ± 6.8 hours. Skin burns and loss were seen primarily on the buttocks and perineum, loosely following the diaper area.
CONCLUSIONS:
Unintentional ingestion of senna-containing laxatives in young children may potentially cause severe diaper rash, blisters, and skin sloughing.
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