Accidental kerosene ingestion continues to cause morbidity and mortality in third world countries, where kerosene is still used for cooking, heating and cleaning. In this prospective study, 78 children aged from 10 months to 5 years were managed at Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem for kerosene ingestion. Respiratory distress developed in 60 (76.90%) children. Two who required mechanical ventilation died. Vomiting, which occurred in 49 cases, did not seem to increase the risk of respiratory complications, suggesting that aspiration occurs with the initial ingestion. Chest X-ray changes were noted in 60% of the children on admission. Pleural effusions occurred in three cases over 24 hours after the incident. CNS manifestations, most likely caused by anoxia, were seen in 27% of the children, but in only two were they severe in the form of convulsions, and both died. Fever occurred in about 50% of the children during their stay in hospital. Severe gastric dilatation developed in the four most severely ill children, two of whom died. The quantity of kerosene ingested by them was estimated to be large.

Ann Trop Paediatr. 1991;11(2):155-61