Drowsiness and uncommon fever in a child after cannabis ingestion

Ann Biol Clin (Paris). 2017 Aug 1;75(4):462-465. doi: 10.1684/abc.2017.1261.

Abstract

Trivialization of cannabis consumption goes hand in hand with a growing exposure of children and the number of cannabis poisoning cases is steadily increasing. As clinical presentation can be different from what is currently seen in adults, added to the fact that it is not always suspected, diagnosis of cannabis intoxication in children is often delayed or missed. A 16-month-old girl was admitted to the pediatric emergency unit for an important drowsiness combined to moderate fever. After elimination of infectious causes, a toxic origin was considered and biological analyses led to the diagnosis of involuntary acute cannabis intoxication. In conclusion, cannabis intoxication in child has uncommon presentations compared to that seen in adults. In this context, biological analyses have a great importance for a rapid diagnosis and also for the understanding intoxication circumstance. This is of paramount importance because it may lead to consider child protection measures.

Keywords: cannabis; child; drowsiness; involuntary intoxication; mass spectrometry.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Cannabis / poisoning*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Fever / chemically induced*
  • Fever / diagnosis*
  • Fever / pathology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Sleep Stages / drug effects*