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Opioid Use Disorders in Adolescents—Updates in Assessment and Management

Current Pediatrics Reports volume 6, pages 99–106 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose of Review

To review information specific to adolescents regarding trends in opioid use, risk factors for opioid misuse, medical co-morbidity, and treatment updates.

Recent Findings

Although opioid misuse in adolescents is uncommon, it is associated with morbidity and mortality such as hepatitis C and overdose. Adolescents commonly start with prescription opioid misuse before transitioning to heroin use. The existing literature supports the use of buprenorphine/naloxone for the treatment of adolescent opioid use disorders. Safe medication storage and disposal is important to decrease adolescent prescription opioid misuse.

Summary

Opioid misuse occurs in adolescents, and pediatric providers need to remain up to date.

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Psychopharmacology Program, Division of Child Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Amy M. Yule, Rachael M. Lyons & Timothy E. Wilens

  2. Addiction Recovery Management Service (ARMS), Center for Addiction Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 151 Merrimac Street, 6th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Amy M. Yule & Timothy E. Wilens

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Amy M. Yule & Timothy E. Wilens

Authors
  1. Amy M. Yule
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  2. Rachael M. Lyons
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  3. Timothy E. Wilens
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amy M. Yule.

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Conflict of Interest

Amy M. Yule received grant support from the Massachusetts General Hospital Louis V. Gerstner III Research Scholar Award from 2014 to 2016. Dr. Yule is currently receiving funding through the AACAP Physician Scientist Program in Substance Abuse 5K12DA000357-17. She was a consultant to Phoenix House from 2015 to 2017 and is currently a consultant to the Gavin Foundation (clinical services).

Timothy E. Wilens receives or has received grant support from the following sources: NIH(NIDA). Dr. Timothy Wilens is or has been a consultant for the following: Alcobra, Neurovance/Otsuka, and Ironshore. Dr. Timothy Wilens has a published book Straight Talk About Psychiatric Medications for Kids (Guilford Press) and co/edited books ADHD in Adults and Children (Cambridge University Press), the Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry (Elsevier), and Massachusetts General Hospital Psychopharmacology and Neurotherapeutics (Elsevier). Dr. Wilens is co/owner of a copyrighted diagnostic questionnaire (Before School Functioning Questionnaire), and he has a licensing agreement with Iron shore (BSFQ Questionnaire). Dr. Wilens is Chief, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and (Co) Director of the Center for Addiction Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. He serves as a consultant to the US National Football League (ERM Associates), U.S. Minor/Major League Baseball, Bay Cove Human Services (Clinical Services), Phoenix/Gavin House and Bay Cove Human Services.

Rachael M. Lyons declares no potential conflicts of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Yule, A.M., Lyons, R.M. & Wilens, T.E. Opioid Use Disorders in Adolescents—Updates in Assessment and Management. Curr Pediatr Rep 6, 99–106 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40124-018-0161-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40124-018-0161-z

Keywords

  • Adolescent
  • Opioid use disorder
  • Prescription opioid misuse
  • Heroin
  • Medication