June 11, 2004 – Too many children abuse over-the-counter headache medications, according to a study presented to the American Headache Society.
Carried out in Cleveland, the study involved 680 patients between the ages of six and 18. More than 20% of them had taken more than three doses of headache medication per week for more than six weeks. A large number of children used it five or six times a week, sometimes even 15 to 20 times.
Researchers estimate that about one in seven young people have swallowed headache medication without their parents’ knowledge. Not that children want to secretly take drugs, but they see no danger in using them.
Among the most popular medications for children was aspirin. However, people under 19 are not recommended to take aspirin, a drug that can cause Reyes syndrome (a serious and fatal liver disease). Most of the children also had a fondness for acetaminophen (like Tylenol) and anti-inflammatory drugs (like Advil).
Some of the young people who had taken a lot of medication had kidney failure or bleeding in the intestines. Fifteen percent of 15-year-olds suffered from chronic headaches. The Dr David Rothner, head of the study, warns parents that the use of non-prescription drugs is not safe. Children who abuse it may later be more prone to severe migraine headaches.
Diep Truong – HealthPassport.net
According to PC.
