Abstract:
Corrosive agent ingestion remains a significant pediatric health concern, leading to severe morbidity and potential mortality. Young children, particularly those under five years old, are at heightened risk due to their natural curiosity, limited risk perception, and exploratory behavior. Commonly ingested corrosive substances include household cleaning products, acids, alkalis, and industrial chemicals, often stored in improperly secured containers. The severity of injury depends on the type, concentration, and volume of the ingested substance, with alkaline agents generally causing deeper tissue damage than acidic substances. Clinical outcomes range from mild irritation to life-threatening esophageal strictures, perforation, and systemic toxicity. Early diagnosis and appropriate management, including endoscopic evaluation and nutritional support, are critical to preventing long-term complications. Preventive measures such as child-resistant packaging, public awareness campaigns, and parental supervision play a crucial role in reducing incidence rates. This review highlights the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic approaches, treatment strategies, and preventive interventions related to corrosive agent ingestion in children, it includes series of cases presented in the causality with endoscopic features , management and outcome.
Keywords: corrosive ingestion, pediatric poisoning, household chemicals, esophageal injury, prevention
