Some cough syrups can be deadly for children, according to pediatricians. Specifically, codeine is not safe to give to children.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a statement this week urging parents to not give children under the age of 18 either prescription or over-the-counter medications that contain codeine.
Codeine is often found in medications such as cough syrups and pain relievers.
“People have this very false misconception about codeine, thinking that it’s safer than other opioids,” Dr. Joseph Tobias, one of the study’s lead authors, told The Huffington Post. “Our whole push for writing this manuscript was to educate clinicians and push regulatory boards to pull codeine off the market for pediatric patients.”
In an study published in the October issue of the journal Pediatrics, which caused the AAP’s statement, the researchers found that codeine was linked to rare but potentially life-threatening breathing difficulties in children.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration data found in the study showed that there were 64 cases of severe respiratory distress and 24 codeine related deaths over a 50-year period.
However, codeine is still found in over-the-counter cough medications in 28 states. According to the AAP’s statement, 800,000 children under the age of 11 were prescribed codeine in between 2007-2011.
The AAP authors conclude:
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REFERENCES:
1. “Pediatricians Say Codeine Is Not Safe For Children.” HuffingtonPost.com. The Huffington Post, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2016.
2. “Codeine: Time To Say “No”” Pediatrics. AAP Gateway, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2016.
3. “AAP Report Says Codeine Too Risky For Kids, Urges Restrictions on Use.” American Academy of Pediatrics. American Academy of Pediatrics, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2016.
