PEDIATRICS Vol. 107 No. 4 April 2001, pp. 807
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To the Editor.
Nebulized adrenaline is a well-recognized treatment for upper airway obstruction caused by croup (acute laryngotracheobronchitis) and postintubation edema.1 Here we describe what we believe to be the first reported case of the effectiveness of nebulized adrenaline in the treatment of upper airway obstruction occurring secondary to the ingestion of a caustic substance.
A 15-month-old girl was brought by her parents to the emergency
department of a district hospital after having swallowed several mouthfuls of Domestos (a domestic sanitary cleaner containing 7%
sodium hypochlorite with a pH of 13.2).2 She was
previously well with no significant past history and no previous
episodes of croup. In the preceding few days she had been well with no
fever or evidence of upper respiratory tract infection. She had no
known allergies, was not taking any medication, and was fully
immunized. She was found by her mother at