New recommendations issued on opioid prescriptions for children
BOSTON - A leading group of pediatricians is outlining new recommendations on opioid use in children.
The rates of opioid use disorder have increased dramatically in kids and teens. As a result, prescribers have been writing fewer and fewer prescriptions for drugs such as codeine, oxycodone, fentanyl, and morphine, which has cut down on the inappropriate use of these medications but also potentially leaving some children's pain untreated, which occurs most commonly among children of color.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued its first clinical guidelines on the matter, saying pediatricians should prescribe opioids to kids who need them but in conjunction with non-opioid medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen and other approaches such as physical therapy. The AAP also says every prescription for opioids should include a prescription for the opioid-reversal drug, naloxone, or Narcan, to treat an overdose either by the child or others living in the home.