a threat to opioids for children

(HealthDay) – Codeine is one of the drugs at the center of the opioid epidemic in adults and adolescents in the United States. There is also concern about its effects on very young children – no addiction, but life-threatening events and deaths due to the side effects of codeine.

Codeine has often been prescribed to children to relieve pain after surgery such as tonsillectomy. This is also part of the formula for some prescription and over-the-counter cough syrups that are still available on pharmacies in some states. But nothing proves that it stops coughing. It can make children sleepy.

In fact, the effects of codeine vary greatly from one child to another. About one third of patients experience no pain relief, while one in 12 has a dangerous reaction, including slow or difficult breathing, which in some cases has been fatal. This could be due to the fact that young children metabolize the drug very quickly and / or because of an undiagnosed respiratory condition such as sleep apnea, according to research.

Published reports on the potential dangers of codeine and the efforts of groups such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have led the US Food and Drug Administration to conclude in 2018 that these drugs should not be prescribed at a time. person under 18 years old. In your medicine chest, it is important not to give any of them to a child, even if they seemed to help in the past.

For mild to moderate pain, go for safer alternatives, such as doses of acetaminophen (Tylenol) for children or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen (Motrin). A spoonful of dark honey is better than an over-the-counter cough syrup, and the AAP recommends it to children over 1 year old. For babies and young children, a teaspoon of agave nectar before bedtime can help JAMA Pediatrics.

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