Orally Administered Activated Charcoal: Acceptance by Children

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To the Editor.— Activated charcoal forms complexes with a wide variety of drugs and poisonous substances, thus preventing their systemic absorption.1-3The superiority of this therapeutic agent over the so-called universal antidote has been aptly demonstrated.4For these reasons, activated charcoal has been recommended as a very useful antidote for the early management of acute poisoning by ingestion.5-9 Although Holt and Holz10maintained that activated charcoal is probably the most valuable single agent currently available for the immediate treatment of ingested poison, its physical appearance could alienate its use by clinicians, nurses, and patients alike. This view is shared by Arena:11 To get a 2-year-old to swallow powdered charcoal is a rare accomplishment indeed. The drawback to this compound is that it is black and many children will refuse to drink it and if spewed, it spots uniforms, clothes, walls and personnel. This study was undertaken

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