Potassium permanganate poisoning in infancy

Potassium permanganate intoxication in 3 infant girls (2.5, 2.5 and 5 months old, respectively) is described. In 2 the toxic solution was mistaken for a vitamin A+D preparation due to package similarity. The main clinical symptoms included restlessness, low grade fever and inflamed oral mucosa with black-brown discoloration. There was leukocytosis with a shift to the left. Complications described by others, such as hepatic and renal damage, upper air-way obstruction, gastrointestinal ulceration, bleeding tendency, methemoglobinemia and hemolysis, were not seen in our infants. Management included hemodynamic and respiratory monitoring, oral and gastric water lavage and milk ingestion. Laboratory follow-up included CBC and hepatic and renal function tests. There were no complications, and follow-up revealed no residual abnormalities.