Codeine Still Prescribed for Children in the ED

Children presenting to U.S. emergency departments (EDs) with cold and upper respiratory infections are still receiving prescriptions for codeine, despite guidelines recommending against this practice, according to a Pediatrics study.

Researchers analyzed data from 56,000 children (aged 3 to 17 years) seeking care in EDs between 2001 and 2010.

Although the proportion of visits in which codeine was prescribed for any cause decreased from 3.7% to 2.9% over 10 years, prescriptions for cough and upper respiratory infections didn't significantly change after 2006, when guidelines from several medical societies recommended against codeine's use for this indication.