Background/Objectives: Pediatric poisoning is a major cause of emergency department visits, particularly among children aged 1–5 years. Prompt recognition and appropriate first aid by caregivers are critical for mitigating morbidity. This study aimed to assess parental awareness of household consumer product (HCP) poisoning and evaluate their perceived first aid knowledge and response practices in Saudi Arabia. Methods: Using a structured questionnaire, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,997 parents across Saudi Arabia. Variables included knowledge of common poisoning agents, risk factors, first aid responses to ingestion, inhalation, skin, and ocular exposures, and prior training. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze awareness, response patterns, and misconceptions. Results: Parents identified pesticides (26%), bleaching products (19%), and detergents (14%) as the most common poisoning agents. Inappropriate storage (51%) was recognized as the primary risk factor. While 74% knew whom to contact in emergencies, only 5.1% strongly agreed they knew how to manage poisoning incidents. For oral poisoning, 44% would visit the emergency department (ED), 26% would give milk, and 19.5% would induce vomiting. ED visits ranged from 36% to 53% for inhalation, skin, and eye exposures. Only 31.8% had formal first aid training. Misconceptions were common, with 39.4% incorrectly considering symptom disappearance as reassuring. Conclusions: Parental awareness of pediatric poisoning and first aid preparedness is limited, posing potential risks in acute settings. These findings highlight the urgent need for nationwide educational campaigns and accessible first aid training, particularly emphasizing immediate emergency response. Enhancing caregiver preparedness can improve outcomes in pediatric poisoning cases, aligning with emergency medicine priorities.
Alshubaili et al. (Thu,) studied this question.