Organophosphorus poisoning was seen in 42 children between the ages of 26 days to 13 years. Twenty-seven children developed this poisoning following accidental oral ingestion and mothers of two infants administered the melathane mistakenly as cough syrup. Thirteen children developed the symptoms following pesticides application to either hair for treatment of lice or wearing the clothes which were preserved with these chemicals. Alteration in sensorium, excessive secretions, vomitings, irritability and constricted pupils were the frequent manifestations. Headache was observed in six of eight children who had applied these compounds to their hair, while cough and aspiration pneumonia was seen only following oral ingestion. Nine of the 42 (21·4%) children died in the present study. Mortality following hair and skin application was 38·5% as compared to 13·8% following oral accidental ingestion. Accidental poisoning by these compounds can be easily prevented and possible measures for the same have been suggested.