Status: Little or no detectable change
Most Recent Data:
18.0
estimated emergency department visits for medication overdoses per 10,000 children
(2020-21)
Target:
16.6
per 10,000
Desired Direction:
Decrease desired
Baseline:
25.6
estimated emergency department visits for medication overdoses per 10,000 children under 5 years occurred in 2016-17
Reduce emergency department visits for medication overdoses among children under 5 years
Data Sources: Bridged-race Population Estimates, CDC/NCHS and Census; National Electronic Injury Surveillance System - Cooperative Adverse Drug Event Surveillance Project (NEISS-CADES), CDC, CPSC, and FDA
Summary
Overdoses are the most common cause of medication-related problems in children under 5 years. Every year in the United States, tens of thousands of young children are treated in the emergency department for overdoses. Medication containers that limit how much liquid comes out, dosing instructions using milliliters instead of teaspoons, and educating adults on safe medication use and storage can help reduce emergency department visits for overdoses in young children.
Workgroup: Medical Product Safety Workgroup
