Skip to main content

Acute Drug Withdrawal, Pediatric

Robert J. Hoffman, MD, MS Reviewed 10/2018
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Drug withdrawal is a physiologic response to an effectively lowered drug concentration in a patient with tolerance to that drug.

  • Withdrawal results in a predictable pattern of symptom...

DIAGNOSIS

  • Drug withdrawal is a clinical diagnosis.

  • Patients should be evaluated for associated diagnoses (e.g., traumatic injury, pneumonia).

HISTORY

  • Typically, a history of substance exposure, either di...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Initial stabilization

    • Initial management is aimed at evaluating and supporting airway, breathing, circulation, serum glucose, and ECG (“A, B, C, D, E”).

  • Supportive care is the ...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

  • If disposition will be discharge, it is crucial to ensure that the patient’s condition is stable before discharge.

  • If there is any question regarding whether the p...

ADDITIONAL READING

  • Franck LS, Scoppettuolo LA, Wypij D, et al. Validity and generalizability of the Withdrawal Assessment Tool-1 (WAT-1) for monitoring iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome in pediatric pati...

CODES

ICD9

  • 779.5 Drug withdrawal syndrome in newborn

  • 779.4 Drug reactions and intoxications specific to newborn

  • 292 Drug withdrawal

  • 291.81 Alcohol withdrawal

ICD10

  • P96.1 Neonatal w/drawal symp from matern u...

Subscribe to Access Full Content

Sign Up for a 10-Day Free Trial

Sign up for a 10-day FREE Trial now and receive full access to all content.

×