1.What is alcohol poisoning? Acute alcoholism, commonly known as “drunkenness”, refers to a toxic disease caused by excessive alcohol or alcoholic beverages at one time, with neurological and psychiatric symptoms (the central nervous system changes from an excited to an inhibited state). It also interferes with the normal metabolic function of the liver, causing metabolic acidosis and hypoglycemia. In severe cases, the respiratory and circulatory systems can be involved, leading to impaired consciousness, respiratory and circulatory failure, and even life-threatening. The dose of alcohol poisoning varies greatly among individuals, with most adults having a lethal dose of 250-500 ml of pure alcohol and children having a lethal dose of 6-30 ml. 2. Performance of acute alcohol poisoning in adults In order to further understand the difference between alcohol poisoning in infants and children and alcohol poisoning in adults, let’s first understand the performance of acute alcohol poisoning in adults. In adults, acute alcohol intoxication is generally divided into three phases, as follows: (1) excitement phase: blood ethanol concentration > 500 mg/L, euphoria, excitement, multilingualism, emotional instability, joyfulness, rudeness or aggressive behavior, and may also be silent and withdrawn. Most people think they are not intoxicated and continue to drink without restraint; some fall asleep peacefully. (2) Ataxia: When the blood ethanol concentration is >1500 mg/L, the person exhibits uncoordinated muscle movements, such as clumsy behavior, unsteady gait, slurred speech, nystagmus, blurred vision, nausea and vomiting, and drowsiness. (3) Coma phase: Blood ethanol concentration >2500 mg/L, the patient enters a coma state, pupils dilated, body temperature does not rise, blood pressure drops, respiratory slowdown, serious respiratory and circulatory failure can occur, endangering life. The process of death in intoxicated patients is: snoring breathing – upper airway obstruction – hypoxemia – reflex respiratory deepening and acceleration – alcohol intoxication inhibiting reflex – aggravated hypoxemia – heart hypoxia heart rate slowing down – sinus bradycardia, sinus arrest, cardiac arrest. 3.What are the manifestations of alcohol poisoning in infants and children? The dose of ethanol (alcohol) poisoning varies relatively widely among individuals. After drinking alcohol in children, because of the poor blood-brain barrier function, the central nervous system is involved earlier and soon enters a slumbering state, lacking the typical three-stage poisoning manifestations of adults, plus alcohol poisoning can occur simultaneously with high fever and convulsions, which can easily lead to misdiagnosis if the medical history is unclear, so if it is indeed alcohol poisoning, it is important to inform the emergency The doctor should be informed of the cause of the poisoning. The first thing to do is to send the child to the doctor as soon as possible, do not give the child tea and coffee, pay attention to keeping the child’s airway open, lie on his or her side, and lavage the stomach in the early stages of treatment, preferably within an hour, because more than an hour, all the alcohol is absorbed and the significance of lavage is reduced, and some information suggests that all the alcohol is absorbed within half an hour. High-dose diuretic infusion accelerates the excretion of alcohol. Since alcohol poisoning can lead to severe hypoglycemia and even coma, it is necessary to supplement sugar, give nutritional energy combination, B vitamins and hemodialysis treatment if necessary. Naloxone hydrochloride has the effect of relieving the inhibition of the central nervous system by β-endorphin, which can promote wakefulness and anti-shock, and has a fast onset of action, so it is more effective in alcoholism. 5. Hazards of chronic alcoholism in infants and young children Some infants and young children, such as under the influence of family or elders, often drink alcohol in small amounts (below lethal doses), which can lead to the following: (1) nutritional deficiency: alcohol is a beverage without nutritional components, and stimulation of the gastrointestinal tract can easily cause gastroenteritis, as well as nutritional deficiency; (2) peripheral nerve paralysis if there is a lack of vitamin B; (3) folic acid deficiency causing (3) megaloblastic anemia due to folic acid deficiency; (4) poor memory development due to reduced central nutrition; (5) hepatotoxicity and cardiotoxicity. In summary, pediatric alcoholism is a very serious poisoning condition that can be fatal in severe cases, and even if severe alcoholism is resuscitated, it can leave serious neurological sequelae, such as dementia and epilepsy, which can affect the child for life. Parents must take better care of alcohol or beverages containing alcohol, refuse to take their children to wine banquets, refuse to let their children drink with friends, relatives, and elders, and protect their children’s physical and mental health.