Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration – 2013
A brief data summary from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) on unintended health risks for children caused by the increased use of psychotherapeutic drugs. Reports that between 2005 and 2011, children aged 0-11 made nearly 27,000 emergency department visits each year for adverse reactions to, or accidental ingestion of, psychotherapeutic drugs. The majority of visits for accidentally taking psychotherapeutic drugs prescribed for others involved children aged 0-5. Visits for adverse reactions to drugs most commonly involved children aged 6-11. Notes the health risks for children in both scenarios, and suggest that parents should be informed about the side effects of prescribed drugs, and also to store adult medications out of the reach of young children.