Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Trump: We want to feed the people in Gaza, we do not want them to starve.
US President Donald Trump: We will impose sanctions on Russia if it does not end the war on Ukraine.
Israeli media: Polls show that 52% oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while only 29% support him.
Israeli media: 32% of Americans still support "Israel's" war on Hamas, while 60% oppose it.
Israeli media: Core US support for "Israel" hits its lowest, while support for Palestine reaches its highest levels.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent reports martyrs, injuries in Israeli bombardment of home in Heker al-Jame area in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza.
Al-Quds Governorate: Today, the spatial division of Al-Aqsa Mosque began in a public and dangerous manner, and we warn of a religious war in the region
The Ministry of Health in Gaza: This brings the total number of victims of famine and malnutrition to 175, including 93 children
The Ministry of Health in Gaza: Gaza's hospitals recorded six deaths due to starvation and malnutrition in the past 24 hours, all of them adults
Informed sources to Al Mayadeen: A new chapter in relations between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency will begin within the framework of the new law passed by Parliament

The forgotten children of the American opioid crisis

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 8 Mar 2023 16:45
3 Min Read

Unfortunately, the study cannot show how opioids are within the reach of young children but it provides insights into the circumstances regarding how the deaths happened. 

  • x
  • Baby Kennedy Gooding, a child victim of an opioid-dealing parent, in 2015 (Reuters)
    Baby Kennedy Gooding, a child victim of an opioid-dealing parent, in 2015 (Reuters)

A new study published Wednesday in the journal Pediatrics shows the critically increasing number of children aged five and younger in the US who have died from opioid overdoses. 

The study found that 731 children aged five and under were among the fatalities between the years 2005 and 2018. While some were poisoned by over-the-counter pain or allergy medicines, most of the fatalities were from opioids.

In 2005, opioids accounted for 24.1% of the substances that caused child deaths, as opposed to the greatly higher number of 52.2% in 2018.

Co-author and associate fellow at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Dr. Christopher Gaw, stated, “It truly is striking to see, looking at this data, how different the proportions were between 2005 and 2018.”

Medicines became a bit harder for children to access after the Poison Prevention Packaging Act in 1970 was passed when harder-to-open childproof packaging became a standard requirement for many medicines.

Child abuse is a main factor

Related News

1 in 4 teens in US high schools report abuse of ADHD medication

Prescription opioids were the drug of choice in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and when policies became stricter and the opioid epidemic hit, heroin and fentanyl became the go-to drugs.

Fentanyl, 100 times stronger than morphine, doesn't come in childproof packaging, making it easier for children to access. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drug overdose deaths have increased five-fold since 1999, and a whopping 75% of the 91,799 recorded overdose deaths in 2020 were because of an opioid. 

Unfortunately, the study cannot show how opioids are within the reach of young children but it provides insights into the circumstances regarding how the deaths happened. 

Child protective services documents showed a history of child abuse in 153 cases, and over two-fifths of the children who died were less than a year old. More than 65% of the deaths happened at home. Nearly a third were under the supervision of someone who was not their biological parent.

40% of the deaths involved in the cases were due to accidental overdoses and a little less than 18% were deliberate.

Forgotten children 

With the study published, Dr. Gaw hopes that his research can educate and inform parents of the risks while expressing that he wishes to see a rise in the availability of naloxone, the opioid antidote, otherwise known as Narcan. 

Naloxone nose spray was subject to a unanimous vote in February by two independent advisory committees for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make it available over the counter. A decision has not been made yet.

According to Dr. Gaw, it is necessary for health systems to promote ways in which opioid access can be limited and if adults receive help, then children receive less danger and risk.

“It is incredibly sad, but I think it’s important to really highlight because we don’t want children to be forgotten in this epidemic, because they’re also at risk,” Gaw said, concluding: “Their risk is related to the larger world that they’re in.”

  • substance abuse
  • children
  • opioid crisis
  • US
  • Opioids

Most Read

A rescued crew member from the ETERNITY C vessel in a video released by the Yemeni Armed Forces on July 28, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen Navy reveals fate of targeted Eternity C ship crew

  • Politics
  • 28 Jul 2025
An Israeli tank explodes following an ambush by al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza, Occupied Palestine, undated (Al-Qassam Military Media)

Al-Qassam strikes Israeli vehicles in Gaza, inflicts casualties

  • Politics
  • 30 Jul 2025
UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

  • Politics
  • 1 Aug 2025
Protesters chant anti-Israeli slogans as they carry a banner that reads:" Freedom for Palestine, Alliance stop the war," during a demonstration in support of Palestinians in Gaza, outside the Israeli embassy, in Athens, Monday, June 9, 2025 (AP)

Athens mayor slams Israeli ambassador over Gaza war, graffiti claim

  • Politics
  • 3 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A member of the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, takes part in a parade as he celebrates a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and the Israeli regime in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Sunday, January 19, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Al-Qassam: We’ll allow aid to Israeli captives if Gaza siege ends

Freed Lebanese freedom fighter Georges Abdallah during an interview on Al Mayadeen, which aired on Sunday, August 3, 2025 (Al Mayadeen screengrab)
Politics

Exclusive: Resistance key to building state, Georges Abdallah says

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres gives a statement about the situation in Gaza at UN headquarters, Friday, June 27, 2025 (AP)
Politics

UN warns Gaza faces water crisis, looming famine under Israeli siege

Israeli soldiers drive their armored personnel carrier along the Gaza Strip, in southern occupied Palestine, Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ex-Israeli general says Gaza starvation campaign isolated 'Israel'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS