title: Pediatric uses of opioids.
abstract: It is evident that opioids are underused in infants and children, mainly owing to the erroneous belief that long-term adverse effects may result from effective use, coupled with the difficulties infants and children have in verbalizing their feelings of pain. Sufficient data exist to date on the safe use of opioids in the pediatric age group to allow pediatricians to incorporate them in a variety of protocols. Moreover, unlike most drugs in clinical use, opioids have a specific, safe antidote that can reverse their toxic effects promptly and effectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koren
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maurice
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003061:Codeine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008614:Meperidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008691:Methadone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009294:Narcotics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders; D010372:Pediatrics; D011957:Receptors, Opioid
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D009020:Morphine; D008614:Meperidine; D008691:Methadone; D005283:Fentanyl; D003061:Codeine