Child Health: Updated Guidelines for Opioid Use in Acute Pain Management
Child Health Guidelines for Opioid Prescribing
The recent guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics provide crucial recommendations for opioid prescribing in children experiencing acute pain. These guidelines take a multimodal approach, prioritizing nonpharmacologic therapies alongside nonopioid medications. When opioids are deemed necessary, they should not be the sole treatment option.
Key Recommendations
- Opioids should not be prescribed as monotherapy for acute pain.
- Immediate-release opioid formulations are recommended at the lowest appropriate doses.
- An initial supply of five or fewer days is advised, except in specific situations.
Care should be taken when prescribing opioids to children with certain conditions like obesity or obstructive sleep apnea, particularly in adolescents. Both codeine and tramadol should be avoided in children under 12 years. Families need to be educated on recognizing opioid overdose signs, and naloxone should be provided for safety.
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