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Updated: Jul 29, 2025

A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings
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Trends in Emergency Department Visits for Unsupervised Pediatric Medication Exposures

Maribeth C Lovegrove1, Nina J Weidle2, Andrew I Geller1

  • 1Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.

American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|May 20, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Unsupervised medication exposures in young children led to fewer emergency visits from 2009-2020, with significant declines in benzodiazepine and opioid exposures. Continued prevention efforts are crucial for further reductions in these pediatric poisonings.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Public Health Surveillance
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Unsupervised medication exposures in children under 5 years old historically led to increased emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations.
  • Prevention initiatives were implemented to address this public health concern.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze trends in ED visits for unsupervised medication exposures among young children (≤5 years) in the U.S. from 2009 to 2020.
  • To identify specific medications associated with changes in exposure trends.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized nationally representative data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-Cooperative Adverse Drug Event Surveillance (NEISS-CADES) project.
  • Analyzed data from 2009 to 2020 to assess overall and medication-specific trends in ED visits for unsupervised exposures in children aged ≤5 years.
  • Data analysis was conducted in 2022.

Main Results:

  • An estimated 677,968 ED visits for unsupervised medication exposures occurred in children ≤5 years from 2009-2020.
  • Significant declines were observed for benzodiazepines, opioids, and over-the-counter cough/cold medications and acetaminophen.
  • Increases in exposures were noted for over-the-counter herbal/alternative remedies, particularly melatonin.

Conclusions:

  • Estimated ED visits and hospitalizations for unsupervised medication exposures decreased between 2009 and 2020, coinciding with prevention efforts.
  • While overall trends improved, specific medication exposures require targeted prevention strategies.
  • Continued focused interventions are necessary to further reduce unsupervised medication exposures in young children.
Abstract

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