If your child is building attention regulation skills and using prescription support, you probably never imagined worrying about accidental overdose. But a new study reveals a concerning trend that’s affecting families across Australia and New Zealand—and it’s got nothing to do with whether the medications work.
You’ve likely noticed more children today are receiving support for focus development. That’s not your imagination. And now researchers are sounding an alarm that every family using these medications needs to hear.
Study Reveals Alarming Rise in Medication Exposures
Researchers at the University of Sydney analyzed a decade of data from the New South Wales Poisons Information Centre and found that poisonings from medications used to support focus skills quadrupled between 2014 and 2023—from roughly 800 cases to over 3,000 in a single year.
More than half of these exposures required hospital admission. And here’s what should make every parent sit up and take notice: 72% of accidental poisonings happened in children under 15.
The two medications most commonly involved were methylphenidate (sold as Ritalin) and clonidine. Both are prescribed in New Zealand as part of focus support strategies.
New study: Poisonings from focus medications quadrupled in Australia—most in kids under 15. Here's what families need to know to stay safe.🔒
Why Are These Poisonings Happening?
Lead researcher Amy Thomson from the University of Sydney’s School of Pharmacy explained the findings simply: “The more of these medications there are in people’s homes, the more poisonings or exposures we’re seeing.”
The issue with clonidine is particularly concerning. Originally designed as a blood pressure medication for adults, it needs to be halved or quartered to achieve a child-sized dose. “A small error can result in a child having to go to hospital,” Thomson said. “It makes them drowsy and unsteady on their feet, slows the heart rate and drops the blood pressure, and they can become unwell very quickly.”
In New Zealand, the National Poisons Centre reports that therapeutic errors—giving an extra dose, giving at the wrong time, or miscommunication between caregivers—account for more than half of calls about these medications.
Quote: The more of these medications there are in people’s homes, the more poisonings or exposures we’re seeing. | Attribution: Amy Thomson, Lead Researcher, University of Sydney School of Pharmacy
Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert
The Numbers Behind the Headlines
Research from the University of Otago showed a tenfold increase in adult prescriptions for focus-supporting medications between 2006 and 2022. With GPs and nurse practitioners now able to diagnose and prescribe these medications in New Zealand—designed to widen access—experts expect demand to continue rising.
While 60% of poisonings in Australia were accidental, nearly 39% were deliberate misuse. “We know from other studies that if someone is in crisis and at risk of self-harm then they’ll take whatever is available,” Thomson noted. “It’s important to keep drugs locked up and out of sight.”
Parents with multiple caregivers need systems in place. “If there are multiple caregivers there needs to be a system, whether that is recording every dose in a notebook kept with the medication or texting each other,” she advised.
Key takeaways
- Safety concern rising: Poisonings from focus-supporting medications quadrupled in Australia over a decade, reaching 3,000 cases in 2023.
- Children most vulnerable: 72% of accidental poisonings occurred in children under 15, with most errors happening at home.
- Prevention is possible: Simple safety measures—locked storage, dose tracking between caregivers—can prevent most exposures.
What Families Can Do Today
The good news? These exposures are preventable. The key is awareness and simple safety systems.
First, treat these medications like any other potentially harmful substance: locked away, out of sight, out of reach. Second, create a clear communication system if more than one person is giving doses. A simple notebook or shared text thread can prevent accidental double-dosing.
Third, understand that these medications are powerful tools that require respect. When used as prescribed, they help many children build focus skills. But the more present they are in homes, the more opportunities exist for mistakes or access by curious little ones.
The University of Sydney researchers are calling for better education for families—and that’s exactly what informed parents can provide for themselves right now.
Quote: A small error can result in a child having to go to hospital. It makes them drowsy and unsteady on their feet, slows the heart rate and drops the blood pressure, and they can become unwell very quickly. | Attribution: Amy Thomson, Lead Researcher, University of Sydney School of Pharmacy
Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert
Here’s what we know for certain: brains change. Children can develop focus skills. And parents are the most powerful safeguarders in their children’s lives.
The conversation around these medications often gets stuck on whether they should be used at all. But here’s a more productive question: if your family has chosen medication support, how do you keep your child safe while they build these skills?
The research is clear: the more awareness families have, the more they can prevent these preventable exposures. Lock up medications. Track doses. Communicate with your co-caregivers. Your child’s brain is building new pathways every day—and part of that building is creating safety habits around all aspects of their health.
If you’re navigating focus skill development and want more strategies for supporting your child’s growing brain—including approaches that work alongside any medication support—explore the Learning Success All Access Program. It offers a free trial with a personalized Action Plan you’ll keep even if you decide it’s not the right fit.
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Your school district must evaluate your child free of charge if you ask in writing, whatever your income and whatever the outcome (US, 34 CFR 300.111 and 300.301(b)). That route takes time and answers a different question than you do. This one starts today, from what you already know.
Your answers stay yours. We do not sell your personal information, and we do not hand identifiable assessment data to outside AI companies to train their models.
A screener is a starting point, not a diagnosis. If your child might need formal accommodations (an IEP or 504 plan), or you suspect a vision, hearing or medical cause, pursue a professional evaluation too. That is the only route to those supports.
References
- University of Sydney Study - Poisonings from ADHD medication have quadrupled
- NZ Listener / NZ Herald - Rise in ADHD diagnoses brings surge in overdoses
