Childhood Opioid Overdoses Nearly Doubled In Last 10 Years
Child hospitalizations due to opioid overdoses nearly doubled between 2004 and 2015, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics. Attempts to curb opioid use among adults have not curtailed this troubling trend, the authors say, and more efforts are needed to reduce opioid ingestion—both intentional and accidental—in kids.
For the new study, researchers examined billing records from 49 children’s hospitals in 27 states and the District of Columbia.