Calls to poison control centers increased for children accidentally exposed to ADHD medication, according to a new study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. Researchers raised the alarm that improper use of the therapy is a growing problem in the U.S.
There were 156,365 calls to poison control centers about improper use of medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) between 2000 and 2014, according to data from the National Poison Data System.
Researchers analyzing these numbers found the calls increased by 71.2 percent between 2000 and 2011. These rates dipped slightly over the next three years, declining by 6.2 percent.
Three-quarters of calls were related to children age 12 years and younger, with the large number of exposures being a mistake in medication dosage (41.6 percent).
Intentional poisonings among 13- to 19-year-olds, including suicide attempt or medication misuse and abuse, accounted for 50.2 percent of exposures in this age group.
While a majority of exposed individuals did not seek further medical treatment after calling the poison control center, at least 6.2 percent were hospitalized and there were three deaths.
The authors highlight that the increase in misuse and abuse of ADHD medication is consistent with an increase in diagnosis of the disorder and drug prescriptions.
• Laura Kelly can be reached at lkelly@washingtontimes.com.
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