In 2024, two major policy updates were published regarding opioids and children. Researchers released expert guidance for the care of opioid-exposed infants, recommending screening pregnant patients for substance use disorder and training hospital staff on neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also released its first clinical guidance for prescribing opioids to children, encouraging safe and necessary prescribing, along with providing naloxone. This guidance aimed to correct the overcorrection of opioid prescribing among pediatricians in response to rising rates of opioid overdose and addiction among young people. Various studies and initiatives focused on addressing youth opioid use and providing proper care for opioid-exposed infants.
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Amid rising use, first pediatric guidelines for prescribing opioids were published in 2024
