"Opioid Overdose Among Children Doubles, Study Says" When we picture a patient who is undergoing the effects of a drug overdose, the image of a young child going through this painful ordeal is hardly what comes to mind. According to the CNN Health article "Opioid Overdose Among Children Nearly Doubles, Study Says," this is a painfully real situation which has only recently come to the attention of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and in turn, pediatric medical professionals. This crisis is currently taking place in the U.S. and has become a major issue since 2004. The article, written by Mark Lieber on March 5, 2018, mainly centers around a study published in the journal Pediatrics. The study focused on children aged 1-17 years who were admitted to hospitals and pediatric ICUs due to opioid drug overdose. It found that the numbers of children admitted to hospitals due to overdose has doubled in recent years, starting in 2004. Dr. Jason Kane, an associate professor of pediatrics who is a lead author of the study, stated that the children who overdosed either accidentally did so after stumbling upon their parents' medication or had overdosed intentionally, either for self-harming or recreational purposes.
It was also observed in the study that over 40% of the children who were admitted to hospitals wound up in the pediatric intensive care unit. Kane then explained that this was risky because compared to the number of adult ICU beds, the pediatric ICU's beds are very limited in number and are therefore reserved for severe and life-threatening cases. If the majority of these beds are given to patients with preventable conditions, those who truly have a need of them will not be able to receive immediate help. The article also gave some background information on the other opioid crisis currently taking place such as the number of people dying from substance abuse in 2016 alone (approximately 42,000 adults). One aspect of the crisis which is not as frequently mentioned is the vulnerability of "secondary victims" to drug overdose, which in this case means children. According to Rajesh Daftary, the medical director of the pediatric emergency department at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, children are experiencing an increased exposure to opioid drugs. On a side note, Daftary was not involved in the study. Daftary stated that one aspect of the situation the study did not address was whether overdose among 12-17 year olds was intentional or accidental. On a slightly more positive note, medical personnel are able to treat overdose in children more effectively and efficiently, particularly without the use of mechanical ventilation or other such techniques. In the end, both Daftary and Kane advise parents to exercise caution around their children when bringing home prescription or non-prescription drugs. In order to minimize the risk of accidental or intentional overdose, parents must keep medication out of reach of their children and make sure to bring drugs that have expired or are otherwise being unused to pharmacies, where they can be safely disposed of. As we know, the opioid crisis in the United States has been going on since the late 1990s, but only recently have the numbers of opioid overdose-related deaths sharply increased, averaging at about 115 deaths per day. Mortality rates aside, even more people (2 million to be exact) are suffering from substance abuse disorders due to prescription opioid painkillers. The majority of people who suffer from opioid addiction abused prescription drugs originally given for chronic pain and later went on to use more dangerous substances such as heroin and a synthetic opioid called fentanyl. While addicts are being treated for substance abuse, another population becomes vulnerable to the crisis; the children of opioid users. I believe that overdosing on opioids is completely preventable in children, as much of the time they are not struggling with addiction and overdoses are usually purely accidental. If parents become more informed about the risks their prescription or non-prescription drugs poses to their children, better and more immediate action will be taken to ensure that overdose does not occur, accidental or otherwise. I believe that small preventative measures like these will protect children from immediate as well as the long-term dangers of opioid overdose and turn the tides of the opioid crisis for the better. The link to the article used is included below. I will be commenting on the blogs of Maddy T., Michael, and Matthew E. www.cnn.com/2018/03/05/health/opioid-overdose-children-doubles-study/index.html
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