A Primer for Health Care Providers

(1)*The University of Washington School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

RECOGNITION & ASSESSMENT OF PESTICIDE EXPOSURE

Acute organophosphate intoxications in children are frequently misdiagnosed, despite being linked closely in time with generally high pesticide exposures. This reflects a number of factors:

• Symptoms of organophosphate toxicity are not pathognomonic, particularly in children.

• Current medical education does not adequately prepare providers to have an index of suspicion regarding pesticide-related illness.

• Providers are not familiar with taking an environmental history as part of the overall clinical history.

1. Comprehensive information for health care professionals can be found at "Organophosphate Pesticides & Child Health: A Primer for Health Care Providers http://depts.washington.edu/opchild/index.html