Medication overdoses leading to emergency department visits among children

The high prevalence of medication use increases the potential for medication overdoses, especially among children.

This paper describes the burden of unintentional pediatric medication overdoses in order to target new prevention efforts.

Data were analyzed in 2007 and 2008 from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, collected January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2005, to estimate the number of emergency department visits resulting from unintentional medication overdoses among children aged

Based on 3034 cases, an estimated 71,224 emergency department visits for medication overdoses were made annually by children aged

Medication overdoses among children, notably unsupervised ingestions, represent a substantial burden in terms of emergency department visits and hospitalizations. New efforts to prevent pediatric medication overdoses are needed.