Parents Perceived First Aid Skills in Dealing with the Ingested Poisoning Products, Saudi Arabia, a Cross-sectional Study
Maher Hassan Nahari1,2,3,4, Bsaim Abdulsalam Altirkistani*2,3,4, Athoub Nasser Kadasa2,3, Yasmen Ahmed Alshubaili2,3, Yasmenah Ahmed Shaheen2,3, Raghad Abdulhafiz Rajab2,3, Mulham Ahmed Kalantan2,3, Maha Adnan Abuzenada3,5, Amin Osama Kototbe6, Saleh Salah Alilwani6
1Pediatric Emergency & Toxicology, King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
2College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
3King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
4Pediatric, King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
5eLearning Department, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
6Ibn Sina National College of Medical Studies, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
*Corresponding author, email:[email protected]
Abstract:
Introduction:Toxins are substances that can lead to harmful effects when introduced to the body. Accidental poisonings remain a critical concern for pediatric health, so understanding the nature of toxins and the potential risks associated with them is a fundamental aspect of child safety. Parents' knowledge and attitudes towards toxins and poisoning incidents significantly influence the outcomes of accidental exposures.
Materials and Methods:An observational cross-sectional study conducted across various regions of Saudi Arabia in March 2024. Participants were selected by convenience sampling. A total of 1,997 participants took the self-administered questionnaire.
Results:The majority of the participants are married and Saudis. 36.7% of parents had neutral feelings towards handling a child poisoning incident, while 27.4% knew how to handle these situations. 74.1% of parents knew who to contact in a poisoning incident. When a child swallows a poison, 44% of parents would take them to the Emergency Room immediately, 26% would give milk, and 19.5% would induce vomiting. In case a child inhales a poison, 45.9% of parents would go to the Emergency room, and 40.9% would move the child to an area with fresh air. If a child had a poisonous substance to the eyes or applied to the skin, 43% of parents would wash it with cold water. Unconsciousness (91.2%), vomiting (90.3), difficulty breathing (88.2%), and abdominal pain (88.2%) were the most common symptoms raising suspicion of a poisoning incident. Only 31.8% of the parents had First Aid skills.
Conclusion:There is notable awareness among parents regarding the need for immediate action in poisoning incidents. However, the lack of parents' knowledge of first aid skills emphasizes the importance of improving parents' knowledge and preparedness in dealing with such incidents. To reduce the lack of first-aid knowledge among parents, promoting campaigns and first-aid training programs are recommended.
Keywords:Children; Poison; Incident; First Aid; Saudi Arabia.
How to Cite:
Nahari, M. H., Altirkistani, B. A., Kadasa, A. N., Alshubaili, Y. A., Shaheen, Y. A., Rajab, R. A., Kalantan, M. A., Abuzenada, M. A., Kototbe, A. O., & Alilwani, S. S. Parents Perceived First Aid Skills in Dealing with the Ingested Poisoning Products, Saudi Arabia, a Cross-sectional Study.STJ,2025, 2, 62-70
https://doi.org/10.70957/uqu.edu.sa/s.toxicology.s/stj.2025.2.6
Copyright: © 2025 by the authors. Licensee Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia