Pediatric Toxicology: Children Are Not Small Adults.

In pediatrics, the phrase "children are not small adults" underscores essential physiologic and pathologic differences between children and adults, particularly in clinical toxicology. Key variations include body mass, organ maturity, enzyme activities, drug metabolism, behavior, and communication abilities. Notably, over half of toxic exposures occur in children, with 76% affecting those under 5 years of age. Toxic exposures can occur at any point in childhood, including in utero from maternal drug use, and can cause lifelong effects. Effective management of pediatric overdoses involves specialized diagnostic approaches, laboratory tests, and supportive care, alongside the use of antidotes.