%0 Journal Article
%T Datura stramonium L. poisoning in a geophagous child: a case report
%A Asma Bouziri
%A Asma Hamdi
%A Aida Borgi
%A Sarra Hadj
%A Zohra Fitouri
%A Khaled Menif
%A Nejla Jaballah
%J International Journal of Emergency Medicine
%D 2011
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1865-1380-4-31
%X Datura stramonium L (DS) is a hallucinogenic plant widely found in urban and rural areas. Toxicity from this plant, containing tropane alkaloids, manifests as a classic anti-cholinergic poisoning [1,2]. Most cases of DS poisoning reported in the literature occurred among teenagers after voluntary ingestion of the plant for its hallucinogenic and euphoric effects [1,3-6]. This report illustrates an unusual case of DS poisoning occurring in a geophagous 3.5-year-old child after accidental ingestion of the foliage of the plant with earth.A 3.5-year-old girl was brought to the emergency department by her parents for excitation, delirium, and hallucinations occurring within the hour following accidental ingestion of DS. She had a medical history of geophagia complicated by iron deficiency anemia, which had been treated 6 months ago. The child had the habit of eating earth, and she had ingested the foliage of the toxic plant with earth, in the presence of her mother, during a walk in the fields. On the initial physical examination, her vital signs were: temperature 37.7ˇăC, pulse rate 190 beats/min, respiratory rate 25 breaths/min, blood pressure 104/72 mmHg, and oxygen saturation 99% on room air. Her mouth was dry. Facial and truncal skin was normal, and flushing was not detected. She had a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 11/15. She was agitated and aggressive with purposeless movements, delirium, and hallucinations: she saw wild animals, a man who wanted to beat her, and various other things. Her pupils were widely dilated and not reactive to light. The neurological examination also noted hypertony with exaggerated deep tendon reflexes, clonus of the feet, and tremulousness. Meningeal irritation signs were not detected. Abdominal distension and urinary retention were noted. She was transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit. Gastric decontamination with nasogastric lavage and activated charcoal via a gastric tube was rapidly performed after admission. Intravenous (IV)
%U http://www.intjem.com/content/4/1/31