Poison Center Calls Related to ADHD Medication Exposures—Both Intentional and Unintentional :

With how common attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is, it is no surprise that overdose with stimulants, either intentional or unintentional, happens. Is it getting worse?  King et al. (10.1542/peds.2017-3872) looked into ADHD medication exposures by analyzing National Poison Data System data from 2000 to 2014.  Their findings are worth paying attention to.  As might be expected, the rate of exposure increased over the first decade studied but then, surprisingly, decreased from 2011 to 2014.  Elementary school-aged and younger children were more likely to be exposed unintentionally and older children and teens were more likely to have an intentional exposure.  While most of the calls did not require hospitalization, a small number did and three deaths were reported during the 15 years studied.  ADHD medications, while effective if the diagnosis is confirmed, still carry risk.  This article will allow you to focus on those at risk and fill any deficits in your knowledge base regarding the risks of prescribing these medications.  For a child with ADHD, the benefits do outweigh the risks, but making sure families of children, especially older children and teens know the unintentional exposures that can result, is a key reason to learn from this important descriptive study.