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NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla., Sept. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the rate of methadone overdose deaths in the United States in 2009 was 5.5 times the rate of what it was in 1999. (1) While methadone is used as a heroin substitute in order to treat addiction, many methadone overdose deaths involve children who should not be ingesting the drug in the first place. A 2012 study on methadone toxicity in children revealed that because ingestion of miniscule amounts of methadone can lead to death, methadone is a dangerous drug for children. The study was initially conducted due to the fact that deaths link to methadone have risen and that methadone poisoning is common among children. (2) "We shouldn't need a study have to tell us that this synthetic opioid is harmful to children," says Bryn Wesch, CFO of Florida drug rehab facility Novus Medical Detox Center.
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Per the study, child methadone deaths in the United States outnumber every other country referenced in the study. 26 out of the 62 cases studied were reported in the United States. Only 12 were reported in the UK, six in France, five in China, four in Canada, two in Germany, one in Switzerland, one in Italy, one in Austria, one in Portugal, one in Poland, one in Slovakia and one in Malaysia. While each country cited in the study uses methadone for the same reasons, the methadone usage of the United States may be greater per capita than in other countries. (2)
The study noted that careless storage is one of the most common causes of methadone poisoning of children. "Many child fatalities occur when someone leaves the methadone on the coffee table or kitchen counter. The child sees the interesting red or green stuff mommy takes every day and decides to give it a taste," says Wesch. "It's alarming that carelessness could take the life of a child, yet it's completely preventable."
The CDC reports, methadone is disproportionately responsible for opioid pain reliever overdoses compared to other opioid pain relievers. (1) Symptoms of methadone toxicity include shallow breathing, hallucinations, chest pain, contraction of the pupils, pounding heartbeat and trouble breathing. (3) "If one observes any of the symptoms, it is imperative the child be treated swiftly as symptoms can rapidly progress to respiratory collapse, coma and ultimately death," says Wesch.
Because the threshold for a child to tolerate methadone is so low, if a child ingests methadone, it is imperative that an adult call 911 immediately. "If you recognize any of the symptoms of methadone poisoning, take action immediately," urges Wesch. Wesch stresses the importance of knowledge of CPR, as the adult can help keep the child alive until an ambulance arrives with naloxone (a drug that reverses the effects of opioid overdose), oxygen and medical know-how. While ambulance crews and police forces carry naloxone as a standard treatment for opioid overdose, Wesch advices that adults who are taking methadone keep naloxone in the house and become educated on how to use it on infants in children.
Additionally, Wesch advises that adults take the following actions:
About Novus Medical Detox Center:
Novus Medical Detox Center is a Joint Commission Accredited inpatient medical detox facility that offers safe, effective alcohol and drug treatment programs in a home-like residential setting. Located on 3.25 tree-lined acres in New Port Richey, Fla., Novus is also licensed by the Florida Department of Children and Families and is known for minimizing the discomfort of withdrawal from prescription medication, drugs or alcohol by creating a customized detox program for each patient. By incorporating medication, natural supplements and fluid replenishment, Novus tailors the detox process for each patient, putting the dignity and humanity back into drug detoxification. Patients have 24/7 medical supervision, including round-the-clock nursing care and access to a withdrawal specialist, and enjoy comfortable private or shared rooms with a telephone, cable television and high-speed Internet access. Novus' expansion is tied to their contribution to their industry and their local community, ranking number 48 on the Tampa Bay Business Journal's 2014 Fast 50 Awards list of the fastest-growing companies in Tampa Bay, and number 2,936 on the 2014 Inc. 500/5000 list of fastest-growing companies in America. For more information, visit www.novusdetox.com.
(1) "Vital Signs: Risk for Overdose from Methadone Used for Pain Relief — United States, 1999–2010"; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; July 6, 2012. cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6126a 5.htm
(2) Alotaibi, Sammons and Choonara. "Methadone Toxicity in Children"; Archives of Disease in Childhood. adc.bmj.com/content/97/5/e1.2.abstract
(3) "Methadone"; Wikipedia; July 30, 2015. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methadone
Media Inquiries:
Karla Jo HelmsJoTo PR888-202-4614www.jotopr.com
Media Contact: Ashley Richardson, JoTo PR, 888-202-4614, [email protected]
News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.com
SOURCE Novus Medical Detox Center
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Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150831/262415
Per the study, child methadone deaths in the United States outnumber every other country referenced in the study. 26 out of the 62 cases studied were reported in the United States. Only 12 were reported in the UK, six in France, five in China, four in Canada, two in Germany, one in Switzerland, one in Italy, one in Austria, one in Portugal, one in Poland, one in Slovakia and one in Malaysia. While each country cited in the study uses methadone for the same reasons, the methadone usage of the United States may be greater per capita than in other countries. (2)
The study noted that careless storage is one of the most common causes of methadone poisoning of children. "Many child fatalities occur when someone leaves the methadone on the coffee table or kitchen counter. The child sees the interesting red or green stuff mommy takes every day and decides to give it a taste," says Wesch. "It's alarming that carelessness could take the life of a child, yet it's completely preventable."
The CDC reports, methadone is disproportionately responsible for opioid pain reliever overdoses compared to other opioid pain relievers. (1) Symptoms of methadone toxicity include shallow breathing, hallucinations, chest pain, contraction of the pupils, pounding heartbeat and trouble breathing. (3) "If one observes any of the symptoms, it is imperative the child be treated swiftly as symptoms can rapidly progress to respiratory collapse, coma and ultimately death," says Wesch.
Because the threshold for a child to tolerate methadone is so low, if a child ingests methadone, it is imperative that an adult call 911 immediately. "If you recognize any of the symptoms of methadone poisoning, take action immediately," urges Wesch. Wesch stresses the importance of knowledge of CPR, as the adult can help keep the child alive until an ambulance arrives with naloxone (a drug that reverses the effects of opioid overdose), oxygen and medical know-how. While ambulance crews and police forces carry naloxone as a standard treatment for opioid overdose, Wesch advices that adults who are taking methadone keep naloxone in the house and become educated on how to use it on infants in children.
Additionally, Wesch advises that adults take the following actions:
- Education – Methadone users should be educated on what the drug does and the speed at which it can kill children.
- Supervision - Wesch advocates for closer, more frequent on-going supervision of methadone consumption.
- Safety – Take-home methadone should only be dispensed in child-safe bottles, and more importantly, stay in those bottles. Methadone should also be stored in a safe place beyond the view and reach of children.
- Determination - "An official determination to put these things effectively in place is required above all else," says Wesch.
About Novus Medical Detox Center:
Novus Medical Detox Center is a Joint Commission Accredited inpatient medical detox facility that offers safe, effective alcohol and drug treatment programs in a home-like residential setting. Located on 3.25 tree-lined acres in New Port Richey, Fla., Novus is also licensed by the Florida Department of Children and Families and is known for minimizing the discomfort of withdrawal from prescription medication, drugs or alcohol by creating a customized detox program for each patient. By incorporating medication, natural supplements and fluid replenishment, Novus tailors the detox process for each patient, putting the dignity and humanity back into drug detoxification. Patients have 24/7 medical supervision, including round-the-clock nursing care and access to a withdrawal specialist, and enjoy comfortable private or shared rooms with a telephone, cable television and high-speed Internet access. Novus' expansion is tied to their contribution to their industry and their local community, ranking number 48 on the Tampa Bay Business Journal's 2014 Fast 50 Awards list of the fastest-growing companies in Tampa Bay, and number 2,936 on the 2014 Inc. 500/5000 list of fastest-growing companies in America. For more information, visit www.novusdetox.com.
(1) "Vital Signs: Risk for Overdose from Methadone Used for Pain Relief — United States, 1999–2010"; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; July 6, 2012. cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6126a 5.htm
(2) Alotaibi, Sammons and Choonara. "Methadone Toxicity in Children"; Archives of Disease in Childhood. adc.bmj.com/content/97/5/e1.2.abstract
(3) "Methadone"; Wikipedia; July 30, 2015. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methadone
Media Inquiries:
Karla Jo HelmsJoTo PR888-202-4614www.jotopr.com
Media Contact: Ashley Richardson, JoTo PR, 888-202-4614, [email protected]
News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.com
SOURCE Novus Medical Detox Center
