A study posted in the Sage Journals reveals that despite the wide information on the fentanyl crisis in the United States, there is a large disparity when assessing the effect on children. This observational retrospective study collected 2012 to 2024 data from the National Poison Center to better understand how prescription fentanyl affects young children.

How young children are affected:

Between 2012 and 2024, there were 376 cases of exposure to prescription fentanyl under the age of 6 years old, although many cases may be missed as some hospitals do not have access to proper testing. This study found that:

  • 98% were unintentional exposures
  • Most common route of exposure was through a fentanyl patch
  • 5% of exposures occurred in children under 2 years of age
  • 4% resulted in serious medical effects
  • 2 children died

 What should be done to prevent pediatric exposure:

  • Recommended to keep medications and patches out of children’s reach
  • Interventions for safe patch disposal
  • Education about opioid and fentanyl storage and disposal at children’s well visits

Rates are decreasing:

One of the most notable findings is that prescription fentanyl exposures among young children have significantly decreased since 2015, with an annual percentage decrease of about 7.9%. This is important because during the same period, illicit fentanyl exposures in children increased, suggesting that prescription fentanyl is not driving the rise in pediatric fentanyl exposures overall but remains a serious safety concern.

Why this matters:

Even though prescription fentanyl exposures among young children have declined in recent years, they remain a serious public health concern as any fentanyl exposure in a child is a medical emergency. As we continue to address the broader opioid epidemic, ensuring safe storage and disposal of prescription fentanyl must remain part of the prevention conversation.

 

References

Abe K, Fullerton L, Swift S, Tollestrup K, Bonney C. Characteristics of Cases of Prescription Fentanyl Exposure Among US Children Aged <6 Years Reported to Poison Centers, 2012-2024. Public Health Reports®. 2026;0(0). doi:10.1177/00333549251412307