Rising Emergency Calls for Pediatric Opioid Exposure Highlight Growing Public Health Concern
Emergency calls for pediatric opioid exposure are increasing, highlighting a critical public health challenge among children and teens. Recent data from 2019 to 2023 reveal significant rising trends, emphasizing the need for targeted prevention strategies.
Recent research presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2025 National Conference has revealed a concerning increase in emergency medical responses related to opioid exposure among children and adolescents. The study analyzed data from the National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS) covering the years 2019 to 2023, focusing on calls involving suspected pediatric opioid exposure.
The findings indicate a steady rise in emergency calls among middle school-aged children, with incidents more than doubling from 255 in 2019 to 553 in 2023. While teenagers experienced some fluctuations, with a notable decrease in calls after 2022, the overall trend underscores significant risks associated with opioid exposure in this age group.
Dr. Sonia Lam, a pediatric emergency medicine fellow and author of the study, expressed concern about these escalating figures. She emphasized that opioid exposures in both middle and high school students have become a pressing public health issue, urging the medical community and policymakers to implement targeted strategies to reduce risks. The study also observed demographic differences: in the younger group, females outnumbered males, whereas in older teens, males were more frequently affected. Additionally, younger children often presented with higher acuity levels, indicating more severe health impacts.
The research underscores the importance of age- and sex-specific preventive measures to address this growing problem. Effective interventions should consider these demographic variations to better tailor educational and legislative efforts aimed at reducing pediatric opioid exposure and associated emergency incidences.
This rising trend calls for urgent action to prevent opioid-related emergencies among youth and protect vulnerable populations from the devastating impacts of substance exposure. Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-emergency-pediatric-opioid-exposure.html
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