Parents and healthcare providers should stop giving codeine to babies because of its association with life-threatening or fatal breathing reactions, according to an American Academy of Pediatrics report published in Pediatrics titled "Codeine: Time to Say 'No'".
Human livers convert codeine to morphine, but some humans' bodies break down the drug very quickly, while others do so more slowly. Children who are "ultra-rapid metabolizers" can experience slowed breathing or could even die, according to the AAP.
While these risks are well-documented, codeine is available over the counter in cough medicine in 28 states and Washington, D.C., and it is still commonly prescribed to children after surgical procedures — more than 800,000 patients under 11 years old were prescribed the opioid between 2007 and 2011, according to a study cited in the AAP report.
Both parents and healthcare providers should be educated on the risks of codeine, and more research is needed to find safe and effective pain treatment for children, according to the AAP report.