Abusing Children With Drugs Under Recognized, US Study

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Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Also Included In: Public Health;  Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
Article Date: 22 Jul 2010 - 2:00 PDT

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A new US study found that giving children drugs for malicious reasons, which is not classed as a form of child abuse and perhaps should be, is an under recognized national problem.

A report on the study, by Dr Shan Yin from the University of Colorado in Denver and the Rocky Mountain Poison Drug Center at Denver Health, is about to be published in The Journal of Pediatrics.

Child abuse is a big problem in the US, where it affects nearly a million children. However, it is not clear which of the four categories of child abuse defined by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the US Department of Health and Human Services, malicious use of drugs on children should fall into: neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, or emotional abuse?

In this study, Yin investigates the nature and scale of the problem, finds that it results in over 150 cases and two deaths every year, and concludes that giving children drugs for malicious reasons is under recognized in the US and should be considered a major form of child abuse.

For the study, Yin searched the National Poison Data System for cases of pharmaceutical abuse reported between 2000 and 2008. He found and reviewed more than 1,400 reports of malicious use of drugs on children, including use of: alcohol, antipsychotics, painkillers, cough and cold medicines, sedatives and sleeping pills.

The review showed that:

• Nearly 14 per cent of the cases resulted in moderate to major consequences, including death of the child.


• Nearly 50 per cent of the children were given at least one sedative.


• An average of 160 cases, including two deaths, were reported each year.

There were no details on the motives and legal findings of the cases involved, but Yin notes that there are various known motives for abusing children with drugs, ranging from punishment and amusement to a desire to have a break from childcare.

The study suggests that giving children drugs for malicious reasons is a serious problem in the US; Yin concludes that it "should be considered an important form of child abuse", and urges pediatricians and medical staff in emergency departments to look out for it.

Yin recommends that comprehensive drug screening be included in the evaluation process that is triggered when doctors and medical staff suspect a child is being abused.

He also urges parents to be aware that giving children drugs for non-medical reasons can make them very ill and even kill them.

"Malicious Use of Pharmaceuticals in Children."
Shan Yin (2010).
The Journal of Pediatrics, in press.
DOI 10.1016/jpeds.2010.05.040

Source: Elsevier Health Sciences.

Written by: Catharine Paddock, PhD
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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