chloral hydrate

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amsnwoo
Posts: 40
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 10:35 pm
Location: Colorado
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chloral hydrate

Postby amsnwoo » Tue Aug 16, 2005 4:05 am

This is from an agency letter for colorado:

COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
1575 SHERMAN ST., DENVER, COLORADO 80203-1714
NUMBER: CW-02-10-I
AGENCY LETTER
CROSS REFERENCE
NUMBER:
DIVISION OR OFFICE: Child Welfare Services DATE: April 16, 2002
PROGRAM AREA: Child Welfare – CW DIVISION DIRECTOR:
TITLE: USE OF CHLORAL HYDRATE IN OUT OF HOME
PLACEMENTS
TYPE: I - Information
MANAGER:
Jane Beveridge

PROPOSED DISTRIBUTION: County Directors, Child Welfare Staff, Caseworkers, Case Service
Aides, County foster homes and group homes.

Purpose:

1.
To alert care providers and county department staff who supervise children in out of
home placement about the appropriate use of Chloral Hydrate.
2.
2. To prevent misuse of this medication on children in out of home placement.
Background:

The State Institutional Child Abuse Review Team has reviewed several cases where the use of
Chloral Hydrate seemed inappropriate. The consulting Doctor on the team wrote the attached
letter of medical information and recommendations about this medication.

Procedure or Information:

County departments should distribute this information to county foster homes and group homes
as soon as possible.

Effective Date:

Immediately

Contact Person:

Janet Motz
Division of Child Welfare
1575 Sherman Street
2nd Floor
Denver, Co 80203
FAX: 303-866-5563
e-mail: [email protected]

Telephone:

303-866-5137


COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES

DIVISION OF CHILD WELFARE
Child Protection

1575 Sherman Street, 2nd Floor
Denver, Colorado 80203-1714
Phone (303) 866-5137 or (303) 866-4707
TDD (303) 866-6293
FAX (303) 866-5563

CHLORAL HYDRATE

Chloral hydrate is an older sedative hypnotic drug first used clinically

in 1869. It is rapidly absorbed orally with onset of action of 10 to 20

minutes and peak of action of 30 to 60 minutes. The recommended dose for

pediatric sedation is 25 to 50 mg./kg. of body weigh /24 hours, (1 kg=2.5

lbs.), with a maximum dose of 2,000 mg./day. It is contraindicated in

children with liver or kidney disease and those with severe heart problems.

Chloral hydrate may also cause fatal cardiac arrhythmias as was seen in a

recent child fatality in Colorado.

Its use in pediatrics at the present time is mainly for sedation prior to

medical procedures such as cardiac catheterization and is used only with

close cardiorespiratory monitoring. It can be used for inducing sleep but is

indicated only for short term use of less than 2 weeks as tolerance to the

hypnotic effect developes quite rapidly. If you have a child that has been

placed on longer term chloral hydrate for sleep, please check with the child’s

doctor to ask if a safer long term alternative to chloral hydrate is indicated.

If the doctor prefers to keep the child on the chloral hydrate, please ask for a

letter of justification, which can then be placed in the child’s records.

It is in the childs best interest to give only medications that are

necessary to the childs wellbeing and to use the safest possible drugs

available.

Larry J. Matthews, M.D.


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