A girl younger than one inhaled acetone and was thus taken to the hospital. Contacted by IPN, the head of the emergency admissions section of the Balti Municipal Hospital Ala Condrea said this substance is very toxic for children of an early age.  

The doctor said the mother gave a bottle with acetone to the child to play, considering that it was well closed. Remaining unsupervised for a period, the girl managed to open the bottle and poured out the content over her. She was rushed to the hospital in a grave-medium state and will remain there for treatment for several days. Things could have been worse as the inhaling by children of an early age of acetone for a long period can lead to suffocation.

The parents are warned to permanently supervise the children because they are curious and can hurt themselves even with objects that are harmless for grownups. The dangerous substances must be kept in locked cases and in places that are inaccessible to children. Last year, a child underwent difficult surgery after ingesting a substance for unblocking pipes. Even a small dose caused a serious esophagus burn to the child.

The children of an early age must be immediately taken to the hospital. In other cases, the parents can consult the specialist of the TOXAPEL service on 022.555.220. This service provides telephonic assistance to parents and medical personnel, teaching them how to give first aid in case of child poisoning.

More information about how to protect the child is available on www.parinti.md and can be also found out by following the information campaigns centering on the prevention of accidents involving children carried out within the REPEMOL (Regionalization of Pediatric Emergency and Intensive Care Service in Moldova) Project that is financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and implemented by the Foundation of the Center for Health Policies and Services.