Kids' Poisonings Associated with Rise of Prescription Drug Use among Adults

The rate of medication-related poisoning among children is associated with the increase in the rate of prescription drug use by adults in the U.S., according to a new report.

Researchers obtained data from the National Poison Data System and compared it with the data on medication use of adults from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys between 2000 and 2009.

Children's exposure to prescription drugs was associated with the rate of prescription drugs used by the adults. The strongest exposure was associated with the use of opioids.

During the study period, more than 38,000 children took drugs that lower blood sugar levels, while nearly 50,000 children took drugs called beta-blockers that slow down heart rate. The study also found that over 62, 400 children took opioids.

Prescription drug exposure risk was highest for children under 5 years of age and for teens between 13 and 19. In the present study, researchers found that more than 2,000 teens were treated for opioid-related poisoning, reports NBC news.

"In younger kids you're looking at exploratory behaviors. Children who accidentally stumble on a drug, either left in a purse or on the ground, will put them in their mouth and are exposed or poisoned," said Florence Bourgeois, an emergency medicine physician at Children's Hospital Boston and study co-author, reports USA Today. "With adolescents, you're looking at intentional behavior. They are seeking out these drugs, in particular opioids, with the intent of recreational use or for self-harm."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), emergency department visits for children taking prescription painkillers are higher than children who are admitted in the ED for exposure to other products such as cleaning solutions or personal care products.  

The report is published in the journal Pediatrics.