The FDA warned parents this week about giving codeine to children after three kids died and one experience non-fatal but serious respiratory depression after being prescribed the pain-relieving drug after operations.
All three kids took the drug after tonsil or adenoids surgery. The agency said health care providers should prescribe the lowest dose of the drug for the shortest time possible for post-op cases for children.
"The FDA is currently conducting a review of adverse event reports and other information to determine if there are additional cases of inadvertent overdose or death in children taking codeine, and if these adverse events occur during treatment of other kinds of pain, such as post-operative pain following other types of surgery or procedures," said Bob Rappaport, M.D., director of the Division of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Addiction Products in FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
"The FDA will update the public when more information is available," he added.
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