Suicide attempts among pediatric patients are currently one of the most critical issues in modern psychiatry and emergency medicine, and constitute a serious public health problem that affects people of almost every age group. It is often emphasized that attempted suicide is a cry for help, and according to international studies, the pandemic year of 2020 massively impacted the frequency of suicide attempts among children. However, such studies have yet to appear in Poland. To characterize the frequency, circumstances and methods of suicide attempts among children and adolescents, and investigate their relationship with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The study retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 154 children admitted to the Emergency Department due to suicide attempts between January 2020 and June 2021. No statistical relationship was found between the direct impact of the pandemic and suicide attempts among children and adolescents. However, age and gender influenced the methods used and the frequency of suicide attempts. Females are more likely to attempt suicide than males, and patients as young as 8 tried to take their own lives. Due to the increasing frequency of suicide attempts in children and adolescents, people at particular risk of such behaviors should be identified and provided with effective care. Unfortunately, although the vast majority of pediatric patients who attempted suicide had psychiatric consultations in the past, it did not prevent them from actively trying to end their lives. Furthermore, even children of a very young age are at risk of suicide events.

Introduction: Acute poisoning is a significant concern in modern pediatrics and emergency medicine, as it is the fifth leading cause of life-threatening injuries in children under 5 years of age. The aim of this study was to analyze and evaluate the overall patterns of acute poisoning among pediatric patients admitted to the Emergency Department of the Pediatric Hospital of the Medical University of Warsaw.Material and methods: The study is a retrospective analysis of the medical records of children aged 0–18 years admitted to the emergency department due to acute poisoning from January 2020 to June 2021 (18 months).Results: A total of 401 children aged from 1 month to 18 years old were included in the study. It was the patient’s first poisoning in the vast majority of cases. Most cases were accidental. Acute poisoning was more common among females than males. The most common route of exposure to the poisonous substance was the oral route. The overwhelming majority of patients did not require any antidote treatment. Most children reached the hospital within 1–5 hours after taking the substance and were in generally good condition. Detergents were the most common cause of accidental poisoning, while combined pharmaceuticals and narcotics were the most common causes of intentional intoxication. No deaths were recorded.Conclusions: Pediatricians and emergency department staff should be familiar with the management of acute poisoning and be aware of the changing patterns of intoxication depending on age and gender.

The aim: Traction splints are part of the procedure recommended in the femoral shaft fractures and in many countries they are equipped with ambulances. The aim was to determine the availability of traction splints in the emergency medical teams in Poland. Material and methods: The survey was conducted using a survey method, obtaining answers from 29% of administrators of emergency medical teams in Poland, representing 36% of all emergency medical teams. Results: Traction splints are found only in 11% of examined emergency medical teams in Poland, more often in specialized teams (17%) than basic ones (less than 10%). There has been wide variation between models of traction splints. Only in two cases organized cooperation between emergency departments and emergency medical teams was found in the matter of replacing traction splints in the piece-by-piece mode. Conclusions: There is low availability of traction splints at the pre-hospital stage in Poland. There is no organized cooperation between emergency departments and emergency medical teams in the matter of replacing the traction splints with the use of the piece-for-piece method.

Introduction: The child's body weight is very important in the proper pharmacotherapy in emergency situations. Aim: The aim of the study is to assess the reliability of information on the current body weight of a pediatric patient obtained by taking history in emergencies. Additionally, the effectiveness of commonly used age-dependent weight formulas for children was analysed. Material and methods: The study was retrospective. We have collected 1103 cases of pediatric patients admitted to the Emergency Department in the second half of 2018, in whom data on body weight were obtained by history taking and by weighing the patient. Subsequently, based on the patient’s age, their weight was estimated using 13 different formulas. Results and discussion: Parents, caregivers or teenagers are reliable sources of information about the patient’s actual weight. In 86% of cases the data from the medical history were within the range defined as acceptable (±10% in comparison with the actual body weight). Underestimating body weight was a more frequent mistake than its overestimation. None of the formulas gave half as accurate results as medical history data. Of all the formulas, the best results were reported for the Park formula, however, only 42% of the estimates were within the acceptable range. Conclusions: Weight information obtained from children and their parents or caregivers is more reliable in terms of determining the child’s actual body weight than any formula for body weight estimation. If it is necessary to use any of the formulas for approximate body weight, it is most preferable to use the Park formula.

Anaphylaxis is a severe and generalized form of hypersensitivity or allergic reaction. It can be life-threatening and requires rapid management. Cases of anaphylaxis are growing worldwide. The first line treatment in anaphylaxis is epinephrine. However, despite guidelines emphasizing the importance of this drug, studies show that use of epinephrine in anaphylaxis is suboptimal. In this article we describe the practical approach to recognizing and managing anaphylaxis in various settings.

Terroryzm jest problemem, który w ostatniej dekadzie dotknął wiele krajów i obszarów ludzkiej działalności. Akty terroru przybierały różne postaci: atak zorganizowanych grup bądź jednostek. Różne były też środki, które zostały wykorzystane do zadania obrażeń ofiarom ataków. Ratownicy skierowani do udzielania pomocy w miejscu zamachu terrorystycznego muszą się w takich przypadkach przygotować na pracę daleką od standardów ogólnie przyjętych, znaczną liczbę ofiar, mechanizmy urazów odmienne od tych, z którymi mają do czynienia w codziennej praktyce. Kluczowym elementem udzielania pomocy w tego typu zdarzeniach będzie przede wszystkim odpowiednie nastawienie psychiczne oraz znajomość procedur i sposobów zaopatrywania urazów powstałych w wyniku oddziaływania broni palnej i następstw wybuchu. Celem niniejszego artykułu jest wskazanie najważniejszych czynników, które należy brać pod uwagę, gdy planujemy bądź rozpoczynamy działania ratownicze w środowisku zamachu terrorystycznego.