2-year-old ingests drug used for opioid addicts
An Arlington toddler was rushed to the hospital after she ingested a drug used to help opioid addicts and her father’s quick-thinking may have saved her life, authorities say.
On Tuesday morning just before 10 a.m., a man was playing with his 2-year-old daughter when he noticed she was holding part of a Suboxone package in her hand, police said. Suboxone is a brand name for buprenorphine, a medication that helps people reduce or quit their use of heroin or opioids such as Percocet and Oxycontin.
“The parents reported that the child also appeared to be drowsy,” said police.
The father induced vomiting and called 911, possibly saving her life, police said.
“As of late yesterday, she was recovering at a Boston hospital,” said Arlington Police Chief Frederick Ryan.
When taken as prescribed, police say the drug is safe and effective. But in children, the drug can cause respiratory issues and other complications, according to police.
Police say the drug belonged to a resident in the toddler’s home.
“As more people turn to medication-assisted treatment, we applaud their efforts to recover, but as a public safety agency we want to urge everyone to treat these products like any other prescription drug in the home,” said Ryan. “That means keeping it stored high and away from where children could accidentally find and ingest it. The same basic rules should apply to all prescription drugs in the home, and the entire family needs to be invested and on the same page.”
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