Ask Dr. Sue

INHALANT ABUSE


Dear Dr. Sue,

Recently I keep hearing stories about inhalant abuse.  Is it as big a problem with kids as the media would have us believe?  What are the dangers?  What should I watch for?
 

Concerned Parent

 

Dear Parent,

Inhalant abuse is a very real and growing problem. By the eighth grade, it is estimated that one in five children will have inhaled something to try to get high at least once.  Many common household products are used for this purpose.  The peak age for inhalant abuse is between 14 and 15 years old, but some children start this dangerous habit as early as six.

The dangers are multiple:

• Brain damage

• Liver damage

• Kidney failure

• Sudden death due to a disturbance of the heart rhythm (called "sudden sniffing death," this type of cardiac arrest causes more than half of all inhalant abuse deaths.)

• Personal and social problems similar to other types of drug use

One difference between inhalant abuse and other drug use is that the toxic chemicals from inhalant abuse are very long-lasting.  They stay in the body for weeks, even after one use.  This means
that treatment for chronic inhalant abuse also takes longer, sometimes up to two years.

Signs of inhalant abuse include the following:

• Paint or stains on body or clothes

• Spots or sores on the mouth

• Red or runny eyes and nose

• A chemical odor to the breath

• Drunk, dazed or dizzy appearance

• Nausea or a loss of appetite

• Anxiety, excitability and irritability

If you fear that your child is abusing inhalants, discuss the problem with your pediatrician right away.  For further information, see the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition's web site at http://www.inhalants.org/ or call them at 1-800-269-4237.
 

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