School - A safe place to learn and play?

Objective: The foundation stage/phase was introduced into the primary schools of England and Wales in September 2008. Government guidelines recommend a whole school approach (ages 3–11) to an ethos of learning which includes using the outdoors as a learning environment alongside traditional classroom-based education. Students are encouraged to learn by direct, hands-on experience through play and pupil-led investigations and consequently they have access to a much larger variety of potentially toxic agents and plants. Methods: Enquiries to NPIS between 1st September 2009 and 31st August 2011 relating to exposures of children (ages 3–11) to potentially toxic materials in schools were analysed with regard to type of material involved and severity of symptoms. Results: A total of 574 enquiries were received during the study period, 37.5% involving girls and 61.5% involving boys. Children aged five were the subject of the highest number (17.6%) of enquiries. The most common agents involved in exposures to pupils were plants (leaves, flowers, seeds and nuts), low toxicity miscellaneous products, chemicals, ice packs (food), cleaning products and pharmaceuticals. Although the majority of exposures resulted in minimal symptoms only, 12.7% of enquiries from schools required referral to hospital for treatment and a further 24% of enquiries were from hospital where the child had already been admitted. Some of the more serious cases involved exposure to agents such as isopropyl methyl sodium hydroxide, unused EpiPens (epinephrine auto-injector) and rat bait. Conclusion: Schools are encouraged to provide a new learning experience for pupils but should ensure that a comprehensive risk assessment is carried out on all materials, including plants, to which children might become exposed. Do NPIS centre staff have a role to play in providing expert poisoning-prevention education to schools?