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Paediatric emergency research is hampered by a number of barriers that can be overcome by a multicentre approach. In 2004, an Australia and New Zealand-based paediatric emergency research network was formed, the Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT). The founding sites include all major tertiary children's hospital EDs in Australia and New Zealand and a major mixed ED in Australia. PREDICT aims to provide leadership and infrastructure for multicentre research at the highest standard, facilitate collaboration between institutions, health-care providers and researchers and ultimately improve patient outcome. Initial network-wide projects have been determined. The present article describes the development of the network, its structure and future goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the presentation rates for paediatric poisoning by ingestion and the determinants of hospital admission., Methodology: Cross-sectional survey using an injury surveillance database from emergency departments in South Brisbane, Mackay and Mt Isa, Queensland, from January 1998 to December 1999. There were 1516 children aged 0-14 years who presented following ingestional poisoning., Results: The presentation rates for poisoning were 690, 40 and 67 per 100000 population aged 0-4, 5-9 and 10-14 years, respectively. The admission rates to hospital for poisoning were 144, 14 and 22 per 100000 population aged 0-4, 5-9 and 10-14 years, respectively. Although presentation rates for poisoning were higher in the rural centres the admission rates were disproportionately high for the 0-4 years age group. The agents most frequently ingested were paracetamol, Dimetapp, rodenticides and essential oils., Conclusion: There is a need to design and implement interventions aimed at reducing poison exposures and unnecessary hospital admissions in the 0-4 years age group.

The incidence of childhood immersion injury in a defined population is reported. The data were drawn from this Hospital's Child Injury Surveillance programme and cover the period July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985. The overall rate of immersion injury was 26.8 per year per 100 000 children at risk and the rate for fresh-water immersions was 25.3. The magnitude of this public health problem is revealed by an annual fresh-water immersion rate of 70.2 per 100 000 at risk for the critical 0 to four years' age group. Eighty per cent of all immersions occurred in swimming-pools and the rate of pool immersion is three times that reported in the Brisbane Drowning Study (1971-1975). Eighty per cent of immersions in back yard pools were potentially avoidable by the provision of an effective safety barrier. Only 25% of the families that were involved could be described as being familiar with their pool.