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Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools
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Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools

Published on: June 20, 2020

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Characteristics of Cases of Prescription Fentanyl Exposure Among US Children Aged <6 Years Reported to Poison

Keisuke Abe1, Lynne Fullerton2, Samuel Swift3

  • 1Wesley Medical Center, Wichita, KS, USA.

Public Health Reports (Washington, D.C. : 1974)
|January 28, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Prescription fentanyl exposure in children under 6 decreased significantly from 2015-2024, despite rising illicit fentanyl cases. Safe disposal and caregiver education are crucial for preventing pediatric exposure to prescription fentanyl.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric toxicology
  • Pharmaceutical safety
  • Public health surveillance

Background:

  • Illicit fentanyl exposure in US children has risen over the past decade.
  • Trends in prescription fentanyl exposure among young children remain largely unknown.
  • Understanding prescription fentanyl exposure patterns is vital for targeted prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe trends and characteristics of prescription fentanyl exposure in children under 6 years old.
  • To analyze geographic patterns of prescription fentanyl exposure across the US.
  • To compare prescription fentanyl exposure rates with trends in illicit fentanyl exposure.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of prescription fentanyl exposure cases in children <6 years reported to the National Poison Data System (NPDS) from 2012-2024.
  • Descriptive statistics to characterize exposure demographics, formulations, and geographic distribution.
  • Joinpoint trend analysis to identify significant changes in exposure rates over time.

Main Results:

  • A total of 376 prescription fentanyl exposure cases were reported in children <6 years.
  • Children under 2 years old accounted for 61.5% of exposures, with transdermal patches being the most common formulation (53.7%).
  • Prescription fentanyl exposure significantly decreased annually by 7.9% from 2015-2024 (P<.05).

Conclusions:

  • Despite increasing illicit fentanyl exposures, prescription fentanyl exposures in young children have declined since 2015.
  • Safe disposal of prescription fentanyl transdermal patches is critical.
  • Enhanced caregiver education is necessary to prevent adverse outcomes from pediatric prescription fentanyl exposure.
Abstract

Keywords:
childrenfentanylpoisoningtransdermalunintentional

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