PEDIATRIC EXPOSURES TO CHEMOLUMINESCENT GLOW STICKS

Hoffman RJ¹, Winnik G¹, Nelson LS², Hoffman RS²

1 Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA

2 New York City Poison Control Center, New York, NY, USA

Objective: Exposures to chemoluminescent glowing plastic rods, commonly called “glow sticks”, are increasingly common. We reviewed pediatric exposures to such products reported to the New York City Poison Control Center from January 2000 though March 2001.

Methods: All reports of exposure were reviewed with regards to patient age, product involved, circumstances of exposure, and symptoms.

Results: 121 pediatric exposures were reported: 9 adolescent adults (18-25 years), 18 teenage children (13-17 years) and 97 younger children (0-12 years). These were ingestions (n=114), ocular exposures (n=9), and dermal exposure (n=1). Only exposure to an opened container caused symptoms (n=19), including irritation at the site of exposure (n=15), including the mouth or throat (n=8), eye (n=6), and skin (n=1). Four younger children experienced nausea, emesis, or dysgeusia. Ingestion of an intact glow stick never caused symptoms. All adolescent adults had ruptured or swallowed an intact glow stick dancing at a dance club: Only one had symptoms. Half of exposures (n=63) occurred on holidays or weekends, defined between 5 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. the next Monday. All adults were exposed during these times.

Conclusions: Exposures to these products often involves recreational use, especially at dance clubs. Most exposures do not result in symptoms. Only minor symptoms resulted, always from exposure to a container that leaked fluid. Symptoms were transient irritation at the site of exposure, and occasional GI symptoms. Exposure to these products may be unlikely to cause severe morbidity or mortality, but this cannot be concluded from these results at this time.

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