The Clinical Practice Guideline: Opioid Prescribing for Acute Pain Management in Children and Adolescents in Outpatient Settings published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) includes explicit instructions on how and when to prescribe opioids for pain while reducing the long-term risk of addiction. The guideline also recommends a routine prescription for naloxone alongside every opioid prescription.

Scott Hadland, MD MPH MS, FAAP, lead author of the guideline states, “We want pediatricians to prescribe opioids when they’re needed because untreated pain can lead to distress and psychological harm. At the same time, physicians need to take steps that reduce the long-term risk for addiction.”

In 2018, 8.9% of adolescents 15 - 19 years old had at least one new prescription for an opioid medication in the preceding year. Most who receive an opioid prescription do not develop an opioid use disorder or have an overdose. One-year prevalence rates for developing an opioid use disorder or experiencing an overdose after a prescription range from 0.3% to 5.8%.

Click here for a highlight of the AAP clinical practice guidelines.