More kids having seizures after ingesting medications, illicit drugs

The number of U.S. children who suffer seizures after swallowing prescription medications or illicit drugs has doubled in recent years, a new study finds.

Drug poisonings among kids resulting in seizures increased from 1,418 in 2009 to 2,749 in 2023, steadily rising about 5% each year, results showed.

These cases doubled among children ages 6 to 19 during that 15-year period, researchers found. In kids younger than 6, there was a 45% increase.

"Seizure is one of the most severe symptoms a poisoned patient can experience, and children are particularly vulnerable," said researcher Dr. Conner McDonald , with the University of Virginia School of Medicine.

"Depending on variables such as where a seizure happens, how long it continues and the pre-existing health of the child, seizures can lead to long-term damage or even death," McDonald added.

For the study, researchers analyzed data from the U.S. National Poison Data System, which gathers data from the 55 poison centers located across the nation.

The drugs most responsible for causing seizures among children were:

Diphenhydramine, an over-the-counter antihistamine commonly used for allergies, hay fever and nasal congestions

Tramadol, an opioid prescribed for pain in adults

Bupropion, an antidepressant prescribed for adults and children

Synthetic cannabinoids known as K2 or spice, illegal man-made substances chemically similar to chemicals in cannabis

"Diphenhydramine can be purchased in the United States in bottles containing 500 or 600 tablets," McDonald said. "Bupropion is being more frequently prescribed to treat depression in adults and children. Other legal and illegal drugs can be bought online and shipped around the world."

"Therefore, these drugs are becoming more available in homes and within the reach of children," McDonald concluded.

This increase in seizures among children "is extremely worrying and must be addressed," said researcher Dr. Christopher Holstege , chief of medical toxicology with the University of Virginia School of Medicine.

"In the U.S., we also need to have a serious discussion on whether products like diphenhydramine should be sold in containers with such large quantities of pills and whether these products should be contained within blister packs to make it more difficult for children and suicidal individuals to gain access to such a large quantity," Holstege added.

Researchers reported their findings Tuesday at the European Society for Emergency Medicine's annual meeting in Copenhagen.

"It is important that we keep looking for safer distribution and storage of medication," Dr. Barbra Backus , chair of the society's abstract selection, said in a meeting news release.

"Blister packs and child-resistant pill bottles can help, but all drugs, whether they are over the counter, prescribed or illegal should be kept out of reach or locked away where children cannot access them," added Backus, an emergency physician in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, who was not involved in the research. "No parent or carer ever wants to see their child suffer a drug-induced seizure, especially when it could have been prevented."

Because there findings were presented at a medical meeting, they should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

NYU Langone Health has more about types of poisonings in children .

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