5,000 children under the age of consent were diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections last year... and some of them were aged as young as ELEVEN

Charities say easy access to online porn is fuelling infection rate problem

Figures may be just the tip of the iceberg as many youngsters don't get help

90 youngsters under 13 had sexually transmitted infections last year

5,386 children aged under 16 were diagnosed with STIs nationwide

Number of children with STIs has DOUBLED in just a decade

87% of under 16s diagnosed with infections were girls

More than 5,000 children under the age of legal consent were diagnosed with sexual infections last year - and some of them were aged as young as 11.

Across the country 5,386 youngsters under the age of legal consent were treated for Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, herpes and other conditions.

In under a decade, the number of reported cases of children with sexually transmitted infections has more than doubled from just 2,474 in 2003.

Infections: This graph shows the number of children below the age of legal consent treated for sexually transmitted infections across the country last year

Infections: 5,386 children under the age of legal consent were diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections last year (file photo)

There were 90 children aged 12 or younger diagnosed with STIs in 2012, according to figures released to MailOnline.

Doctors fear the cases may represent just the tip of the iceberg because many youngsters will be too scared to go and see a GP about their 'embarrassing problem'.

Other children will not even realise they have a problem as some conditions, such as Chlamydia which can lead to infertility, often do not have any symptoms at all.

Charities said easy access to online porn meant thousands of schoolchildren barely into their teenage years are getting their sex education online.

Over the last three years, 16,707 children under the age of 16 have been diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections.

Infections: This graph shows around three-quarters of all 15-year-olds diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections last year had Chlamydia

CHILDREN WITH SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS

Children aged under 16 diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections in England in 2012 

(SOURCE: PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND)

Age	Boys	Girls
Under 13	16	58
13	23	167
14	124	994
15	491	3,448
Total	654	4,667

* The gender of an additional 65 children was not disclosed, so is not included within this breakdown

That is equal to 15 children being diagnosed with STIs every single day.

The shock figures were released to the MailOnline by Public Health England under the Freedom of Information Act.

Experts said many of the children aged under 13 who were treated for infections would have been abuse victims rather than sexually active.

Of the 90 children aged under 13 who were diagnosed with STIs last year, 44 had Chlamydia, 32 had genital warts and a small undisclosed number had gonorrhoea and herpes.

In each of the last three years, girls made up around 87 per cent of the children diagnosed with STIs.

Overall there were 5,354 under 16s treated for sexually transmitted infections in 2011 and 5,967 in 2010.

Although the numbers have declined slightly over the last three years, critics said this could be because children are becoming more reluctant to seek help if they think they have got an STI.

Among older children STIs are far more prevalent - there were 10,318 children aged 16 who sought treatment last year and 17,810 aged 17.

Dr Gwenda Hughes, head of STI surveillance at Public Health England (PHE) said, 'Data on infections primarily transmitted through sexual contact are routinely collected, across all age groups, by PHE.

'Rates remain highest in under 25-year-olds and whilst often these infections can be simple to diagnose and treat, if left untreated they can have serious health consequences.

'Regardless of age, everyone should use a condom with new and casual sexual partners, which significantly reduces the risk of getting an STI. We also advise young adults to get screened for chlamydia each year.

'The National Chlamydia Screening Programme is in place in England ensuring access to free testing from a range of convenient locations.

'With regards to those under 13 years old, the number of infections reported each year is very low. In this age group, using the term ‘sexually transmitted infection’ is problematic as it is very rare for children to be sexually active at this age.

'Moreover recent research suggests most of the infections reported are not acquired sexually; and of the few that may have been, sexual abuse was implicated. There is national guidance in place for health professionals to follow in these cases.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2509780/5-000-children-year-diagnosed-sexually-transmitted-infections-aged-young-ELEVEN.html#ixzz2pYavlwJn 
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Girl, 5, dies from overdose of COUGH MEDICINE after taking just twice the recommended dose

A five-year-old girl has died at her grandmother's home after suffering an accidental overdose from cough medicine, according to medical examiners.

La Plata County Coroner Carol Huser says Kimber Michelle Brown, of Hermosa, Colorado, had almost two-and-a-half times the upper limit of dextromethorphan, a drug found in cough and cold suppressants.

The girl also had above therapeutic levels of Cetirizine, another drug used to treat colds or allergy symptoms.

Tragic: Kimber Michelle Brown, five, died of an accidental overdose on February 12

In an autopsy report obtained by The Durango Herald, Dr Huser said that Kimber died on February 12 after her maternal grandmother, Linda Sheets, 59, had been treating her for flu-like symptoms. 

 

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Dr Huser wrote: 'In my opinion, the combination of these drugs - which were the ingredients of the over-the-counter medications with which Kimber was being treated - caused her death.'

Caretaker: Linda Sheets, 59, was treating her granddaughter, Kimber, for flulike symptoms

The District Attorney's Office is reviewing the case to determine if criminal charges should be filed, according to the report.

The coroner has ruled the death an accident.

Kimber, the daughter of Raelyn Anderson-Brown and Mike Brown, an investigator with the La Plata County Sheriff's Office, had 96 nanograms per millilitre of dextromethorphan in her blood, according to the toxicology report.

The upper limit for adults at 40 ng/ml.

The girl also had 490 ng/ml of Cetirizine, compared to a normal dosage of between 271 and 352 ng/ml, which  proved a lethal combination for the little girl who weighed just 46lb.

Dr Huser told the Herald Kimber had been complaining of leg pain, cramps and muscle spasms in the hours before her death - all signs of drug toxicity as the body's systems begin to shut down.

She advised parents and caretakers to use extra precaution when administering over-the-counter drugs to children. 

'You have to treat drugs with respect. In our society in general, people rely on drugs to a greater degree than I think is wise,' the coroner said.

Innocent: The coroner says Kimber, pictured, had nearly two-and-a-half times the limit of an over-the-counter drug commonly used to treat coughs

'This is just a terrible situation for so many people.'

Dr Huser acknowledged it was possible Kimber self-administered more than the recommended dosage, or than Ms Sheets had inaccurately measured it.

Police said they have yet to find evidence of criminal conduct. Officials declined to issue further comment citing an ongoing investigation.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2130349/Kimber-Michelle-Brown-Girl-5-dies-overdose-COUGH-MEDICINE-taking-just-twice-recommended-dose.html#ixzz1sDopirmp