Caustics are the substances capable of damaging the digestive system.
Symptoms present during caustic ingestion include crying, dysphagia, vomiting, chest pain, laryngeal stridor, profuse sialorrhea, possible respiratory distress. Caustics can give at the tissue level colliquative necrosis and caustication with high risk of perforation and tissue penetration. They can result in skin and eye injuries, oropharyngeal burns, esophageal injuries and intestinal perforations.
It is essential to assess airway patency and in case of respiratory distress to proceed with assisted ventilation and oxygen. It is important not to induce vomiting and to perform gastric emptying or charcoal administration. The laboratory tests to be performed are CBC, blood glucose, azotemia, electrolytes, blood gas analysis, PTT, PLT, CPH, lateral neck Rx, chest Rx, cline direct abdomen Rx, diagnostic endoscopy.
Source: Mediserve‘s Medical Emergencies in Pediatrics.
