Pediatric Aspiration, Ingestion Remain Frequent

by Samara E. Kuehne •

What are recent consumer product (CP) aspiration and ingestion trends in children, and what is the impact of public policy in manipulating these injuries?

Bottom line
Pediatric aspiration and ingestions remain a frequent occurrence with potentially significant ramifications. The incidence of pediatric CP ingestion has continued to rise, whereas the incidence of aspiration has remained relatively stable despite increasing efforts by public officials to curtail these events.

Background: Children remain a population largely susceptible to aspiration and ingestion injuries. Because children commonly explore their environment intraorally, a variety of objects subsequently find their way into cavities and connections of the head and neck. In this study, the researchers sought to provide an update concerning consumer product (CP) aspiration and ingestion trends and to analyze the impact of public policy in manipulating these dangerous injuries.

Study design: Data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System was queried for pediatric CP aspiration and ingestion data for the years 2000 to 2014.

Synopsis: Data from 2000 to 2004 were compared to 2010 to 2014 data and analyzed for CP and injury occurrence. Injury trends over the past 15 years were identified; patient demographics were analyzed; and patient disposition was reported.

Emergency department visits for pediatric CP ingestion increased 41.4% over the 15-year period analyzed and remained relatively stable for aspiration events. In all, an estimated 1.1 million visits occurred during this time frame. Jewelry overtook coins as the most common CP aspirated (29.3%). Coins remained the most frequent ingestion but comprised a smaller proportion of ingestions in recent years than years past. From 2010 through 2014, children under 5 years of age accounted for 89.4% and 77.8% of CP aspiration and ingestion cases, respectively.

The authors concluded that pediatric aspiration/ingestion remains a frequent occurrence with potentially significant ramifications. Injury demographics and CPs most likely to be involved may represent valuable information to the otolaryngologist who wishes to provide appropriate counseling to patients and parents and continued investigation on injury prevention.

Citation: Hanba C, Cox S, Bobian M, et al. Consumer product ingestion and aspiration in children: A 15-year review. Laryngoscope. 2017;127:1202–1207.