{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]],"date-time":"2026-08-24T22:31:47Z","timestamp":1787610707830,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,15]],"date-time":"2024-03-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1710460800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Italian Ministry of Health"},{"name":"Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS Burlo Garofolo"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Children"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: While oral laxatives represent the first-line treatment of fecal impaction, enemas are frequently used in clinical practice in pediatric emergency departments (PEDs) and by family pediatricians (FPs). Objectives: Phosphate-containing enemas (PcEs) are commonly employed, even causing the risk of rare but lethal toxicity. We investigated pediatricians\u2019 awareness of PcE risks. Methods: We conducted an online survey by sending a multiple-choice questionnaire to the referents of 51 PEDs and 101 FPs. We collected and compared the answers with recommendations reported by the Italian Drug Agency (AIFA) and the available literature about PcE administration. Results: Of the institutions and pediatricians receiving the questionnaire, 23 PEDs (45%) and 63 FP (62.3%) participated in the survey. Of PEDs, 95% and 33.0% of FPs treated fecal impaction with PcE. Moreover, 54% of PEDs and 86.0% of FPs did not provide treatment according to the AIFA recommendations for the daily dose. Conclusions: This study shows limited pediatricians\u2019 awareness of the potential risks related to PcE.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/children11030349","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,15]],"date-time":"2024-03-15T09:32:30Z","timestamp":1710495150000},"page":"349","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["The Risks of Phosphate Enemas in Toddlers: A Life-Threatening Unawareness"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3465-6676","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alessandro","family":"Zago","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alessandro Agostino","family":"Occhipinti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5249-8248","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Matteo","family":"Bramuzzo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pediatrics, Institute for Maternal and Child Health\u2014IRCCS \u201cBurlo Garofolo\u201d, 34137 Trieste, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Viola","family":"Ceconi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vincenzo","family":"Colacino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale, 33100 Udine, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6343-846X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Egidio","family":"Barbi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Pediatrics, Institute for Maternal and Child Health\u2014IRCCS \u201cBurlo Garofolo\u201d, 34137 Trieste, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1554-3174","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Federico","family":"Poropat","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pediatrics, Institute for Maternal and Child Health\u2014IRCCS \u201cBurlo Garofolo\u201d, 34137 Trieste, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bpg.2010.12.010","article-title":"Epidemiology of constipation in children and adults: A systematic review","volume":"25","author":"Mugie","year":"2011","journal-title":"Best Pract. 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