Wednesday, March 11, 2009

TEEN TRENDS - "HUFFING"

( (This blog is written to inform parents & others of the disturbing trends of teenagers.)

WOULD YOU KNOW IF YOUR CHILD WAS HUFFING?

You come home from work and notice your child has a dazed, glassy-eyed look. His speech is slurred, and he’s stumbling. Then you realize..."My child is high." Your first thought may be “where did he get drugs?” or “where did he get money to buy drugs?” You may be surprised to learn that he used everyday products that you keep in your cabinets…hairspray, cleaning fluids, nail polish remover, glue, markers, paint, lighter fluid, and gasoline…to name a few.

More than 1,000 products can be used as inhalants.

*"Huffing is the purposeful inhalation of chemical vapors to achieve an altered mental or physical state." Huffing is used as a general term for any type of inhalant abuse. There are 3 ways to abuse inhalants:

Huffing - to huff an inhalant, you soak a rag in an inhalant and press the rag to your mouth.

Sniffing - to sniff an inhalant, you sniff or snort fumes from an aerosol can. You may even spray an aerosol product straight into your nose or mouth.

Bagging - to bag an inhalant, you inhale fumes from a product sprayed or poured into a plastic or paper bag.

STREET NAMES FOR HUFFING:
  • Amys
  • Climax
  • Hippie Crack
  • Snappers
  • Poppers
  • Glading
  • Head Cleaner

Huffing has become popular among 12 to 17-year-olds, but children as young as 6-years-old have been known to try huffing. Inhalants are the fourth most abused substance in the U.S. because of its easy accessibility and low cost.

The risks of huffing are scary and every parent's nightmare.

HUFFING CAN KILL THE VERY FIRST TIME A CHILD EXPERIMENTS WITH IT.

*“Sudden sniffing death (SSD) may result minutes after inhalant abuse from irregular heart rhythm leading to heart failure. Other causes of death include asphyxiation, aspiration or suffocation.”

Other risks include dizziness, slurred speech, loss of coordination, weakness, fatigue, liver and kidney damage, permanent brain damage, hearing loss, seizures, hallucinations, bizarre thoughts, loss of consciousness, and death.

HOW TO TELL IF YOUR CHILD IS HUFFING:

  • Hidden rags, clothes or empty containers.
  • Chemical odors on breath or clothes.
  • Paint or other stains on face, hands or clothing.
  • Drunk or dazed appearance, slurred speech, irritability, and depression.

Most huffing takes place with friends, so know your child’s friends. Be alert. The characteristic chemical odor is the biggest clue. Be on the lookout for clothing that smells like chemicals or cleaning fluid. Watch for sores or rashes around the mouth. Nausea, lack of appetite, weight loss, restlessness, anger outbursts, and poor school performance can also be signs of abuse.

Start talking to your child now about huffing. Some children, as young as 6-years-old, have already tried huffing.

If you suspect your child is huffing, seek professional help. Treating inhalant abuse can be very dangerous. Withdrawal symptoms, such as irritability, nausea, vomiting, sweating, rapid heartbeat, and hallucinations are possible and usually requires inpatient treatment.

**OF IMPORTANCE: Besides using inhalants, teens can also search your medicine cabinets for prescription drugs that they can get high on. And believe me, they don't care what they take or how much. My daughter came in from school one day, and I could tell she taken something, so I asked her what she had taken, and she didn't know. A kid at school was giving out prescription pills, and she didn't know what they were. Be sure to keep all prescription drugs in a locked cabinet, especially narcotics, such as Lorcet, Darvocet, Percocet, OxyContin. There are too many to list here. Narcotic prescriptions are usually given for severe pain, and when taken as prescribed, are very helpful. When narcotics are taken in larger quantities, it produces intense pleasure. a general calmness, and temporary high or overdose that can cause death.

HOW TO RECOGNIZE IF YOUR CHILD IS ABUSING NARCOTICS:

  • Decreasing grades, or decreased attendance at school.
  • Your child may begin to borrow money from parents, sisters and brothers, or friends. He may also begin to steal small items.
  • Your child may begin to wear sunglasses a lot, even at night.
  • Your child may have sudden angry outbreaks.
  • Your child may stop taking care of his hair and clothes. He may begin to look sloppy. - Your child may suddenly get secretive about his activities. He may also want to keep you from going in his room, or through his things.
  • Your child's attitude may change. He may become angry and downbeat.
  • Your child's friends may change. His new friends may be known as drug users.

STAY ALERT & BE AWARE OF YOUR TEEN & HIS/HER FRIENDS' ACTIVITIES. BECOME THAT "THORN" IN YOUR TEEN'S SIDE. IT JUST MIGHT SAVE HIS/HER LIFE.


*http://www.mayoclinic.com/, http://www.usdoj.gov/, www.drugs.com/cg/narcotic-abuse.html






Digg!

88 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! I stopped by to welcome you to SITS.
First of all, let me congratulate you on going to school and working while being a single mom. Not just a single mom, but a single PRESENT mom.
Secondly, thank you for your blog. You have so much information for parents....this is truly a community service.
You are a rock star!!!

Meg said...

Crazy!! I had no idea this was such a problem. Thanks for sharing the info
(And as a side note, what's with the random naked Barbie doll akilter in that pic?)
Happy SITS Sharefest

Life of a Stepmama said...

Wow that is really scary, as young as 6 years old?? Why on earth would a child want to do that. So different from when I was growing up. Love your blog and what a great point of reference for parents with kids!!

Happy Sat Sharefest from SITS!!

Inhalant abuse said...

Petrol inhalation is called as intentional inhalation of several volatile chemicals and gases to experience a desired sense of intoxication. Youngsters are doing it more. It is drug abuse. It is very harmful for pregnant women. One should not practice this.

Jamie said...

Thank you for sharing this. My brother has a friend who in a different time in his life experiemented with Huffing and straight up drugs.

Happy FB day over at SITS! :)

Bridgette said...

Great post! Thank you for sharing this! Happy SITS Day!!!

La Belle Mere said...

Happy SITS day! Very useful info.

LBM xxx

Amanda {My Life Badly Written} said...

This was just in the news here in Australia - it is illegal to sell these kind of inhalents to anyone under 18 (not sure on the laws in the US). Very very scary!!

Thanks for the info - stopping by from SITS!

Vodka Logic said...

Hello from SITS, as a parent of a teen girl, thank you for the imformation.
Off to read more.

cat said...

Oh gosh, thanks for this. Somehow dealing with two toddlers cutting molars does not seem too hectic.

Unknown said...

Hello from SITS. Thank you for all your great information. These are all of my biggest fears and my daughter is only 3. It is terrifying all of the things kids are coming up with these days.

MaryAnna said...

Thanks for sharing this, very informative!

Anonymous said...

Oh gosh, scary....

Elizabeth D. said...

I had no idea children so young were getting involved in huffing. That is just awful Thank you for sharing this important information.

Anonymous said...

No parent wants to believe that their kids would do this. It's great that you are sharing all the info and warning signs. Kudos!

GreedyGirl said...

Hi www.greedygirlsguide.com checking in from SITS

Wow this is scary I have a 13 yo brother and i'm going to tell my mom to make sure he reads this. thanks for posting

Mary-Jane said...

Checking in from SITS. Thankyou for the information... and reminder to be vigilant!

said...

Thanks for the timely PSA. And many congrats on your SITS feature day!

Raising Z and Lil C said...

It is such a scary topic. Thanks for sharing it with everyone. Enjoy your SITS day!

Pam said...

Congrats on being SITS FB. Enjoy your day on in the spotlight.

Thanks for sharing all this valubable information. AS the parent of two teens I'm going to be sure to read all your posts. Thanks again.

Unknown said...

Here from SITS..Thanks for sharing the information.

{leah} said...

My boys are so young so I didn't think I had to worry about this yet... I guess I was wrong... thank you.



Happy SITS day!

FRANNIE said...

Just stopping by from SITS...I have a 13 boy who thankfully, for the most part, has his head screwed on right but it's always good to talk about things like this with him.

Thanks again for the info.

Frannie

Rhonda said...

That is so scary!!

A Fist Full of Dandelions said...

Wow! Kids today have so many more pressures that I had growing up!

Stopping by from SITS!

mommytoalot said...

I read about this last year some time and I approached both my boys about it. They knew what it was. I again explained the dangers...
thanks for the informative post.
Happy Sits day to you as well

Unknown said...

Hi, stopping by from sits. Hope you have a great day and thank you for sharing all this information with everyone. It will be a life saver.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the information. I like to think that people aren't still huffing, but obviously they are.

glenna said...

Good Post!!!!!

Le Gourou said...

Hi, Friend... this is great. You're one savvy Mom and sharing the wealth. What happens in a kids life that would make them want to go there? It's just insane. U'r blog is AWESOME! Keri

AKA, Le Gourou de Sandwich

www.samwich365.com
www.spitnglue.com

lauren said...

just stopping by, but wanted to thank you for the service you provide with this blog...

Chaotic Kristy said...

Great information to know. This can be very scary to think about. Happy SITS day

Lisa@saltandlightstudio said...

The thought of kids doing this to themselves gives me panic attacks. It is too horrible for words.

BlogBaby's BabyMama

Allison said...

Stopping in from your SITS day.

Huffing is a most horrible thing. It kills your brain cells off faster than anything else and that's not repairable. Unfortunately, most parents don't know about it and it gets a lot less attention in the press. What a service you have done to get the word out there! Great post!

seven thirty three said...

This became big while I was in high school... guess people graduated from glue. Being a mom of three, I make sure all of our Mr Yuck items are locked away safely.

The818 said...

Terrifying!

Kerri said...

Happy SITS Day!

Great info...I saw this girl on a show called Intervention that huffed compressed air. She was OUT. OF. HER. MIND. They showed her clean several months later and she was beautiful and healthy... and VERY lucky.

Thank you for reminding us parents that that is exactly what we are: we are parents first, friends later. Our job is to train up a child in the Way they should go, not be their buddy. They have enough of those.
Kerri
www.sickofmg.blogspot.com
Blogging for Invisible Illness Awareness Week Sept 14-20

Robbie S. Redmon, LPC said...

Happy SITS Day! Thanks for the heads up.

Jessica said...

I knew a guy who, instead of scoring beer for a party, would buy a gallon of gas. He and his friends would huff it instead of drink.

I thought he was freaking NUTS.

Crazy.

missy said...

oh my gosh.......that is crazy!!!!!
i just don't get it!!!!!!

Anti-Supermom said...

"Children as young as six"

That is beyond distrubing.

Mrs Montoya said...

Whoa - not sure I WANTED to read that, but I think every parents NEEDS to know. Thank you for sharing. Happy SITS Day!

Chandice said...

This is a great post! Most people don't know this. Thanks for posting and happy SITS day!

marlynn said...

thank you for such an informative blog! my kids are still itty bitty but I know I need to arm myself with info about this kind of stuff now. yikes! Happy SITS Day

Erin said...

I thankfully made it out of my teenage years before being really pressured by this issue, but now I'm scared for when I have kids!

Becky @ Babes in Hairland said...

You've got a great blog here - so very informative. Thank you so much for all these teen trend posts. Enjoy your day in the SITS spotlight.

Robin said...

When we lived out in Hawaii, my neighbor and I would walk 6 miles every morning on a bike path. Now and then we would have to walk past / around / over these two creepy guys who bagged paint. I hated that bike path.

Michelle said...

Another great post.

Dorkys Ramos said...

Such scary stuff! Thank you for sharing this info with other moms! Visiting from SITS :)

Rita Barakat said...

TFS! I work with youth I wish more people were more informed.

Heather said...

So scary! Sometimes I'm so happy that I don't have kids. These things would never occur to me and I'm afraid I wouldn't know what to do about the situation. Thanks for keeping us informed!

Anonymous said...

This is scary. Thanks for the information!

Lamonica said...

Very informative blog post.

Stopping by from SITS

http://fabulousgccandles.blogspot.com/

Mama Kayla said...

This is so scary! I'm very glad that I don't have to worry about it for quite a few years!

Your blog is amazing! Way to put it out there!

Peace and Love

(Found you on sITS!)

Mel at Adventures of Mel said...

Wow, thank you for sharing....stopping by from SITS. This kind of stuff is so scary.

SPEAKING FROM THE CRIB said...

visiting from SITS - great info for all parents to have

Anonymous said...

Stopping by from SITS. Great information. I don't have teenagers, but I appreciate this heads-up. It's scary what kids come up with. I'm keeping an eye on my 8 year old.

Meg said...

This is so scary and difficult for me to understand. I hate that feeling I get after cleaning the bathroom.

Happy SITS Day!

Taylor K said...

Scary stuff!

Holly @ Domestic Dork said...

Huffing scares the pants off me. I'd rather my daughter do a LOT of things before huffing, because, like you said, it can kill the VERY first time. *shudder*

Brittany said...

This is crazy! It's scary. Stopping by from SITS - Happy SITS day!

shortmama said...

A great reminder!

Unknown said...

Scary!

Happy SITS!

Mrs. M said...

The things kids do today are so scary!

Chief said...

Thank you so much for the info!

Happy Sits

Hoity Toity Baby said...

This is some heavy information! Thanks for posting it!

Stopped by from sits!

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

Great info! Thanks for sharing it!

Unknown said...

Wow. That's scary. Thanks for the info. Happy SITS day!

Unknown said...

I know about most of this stuff from being a public high school teacher before becoming a SAHM. But I am so NOT ready to deal with this stuff with my own kids yet. Thank goodness I have a few of years (they're 9 mos. and 3 yrs. old), but the age that they are exposed to this kind of thing is getting lower and lower. Disturbing! Thanks for making more people aware!!

The Dapper Darling said...

Scary! In the 80's remember kids used to choke themselves until they would black out...why do kids do these things???????

Rachel Lundy said...

You have a very informative blog here! I'm glad I found you via SITS.

Just A Normal Mom said...

Scary stuff!
Happy SITS day!
***Ally

Patricia said...

So glad you are being featured today. More awareness of these issues is what we need.

Happy SITS DAy~

Michelle (hometc) said...

Happy SITS day! The last thing a teenager needs is fewer brain cells.

Angeline Schnare said...

Shocking. Thanks for the information.
I know in Canada we have a massive problem with our Aboriginal youth huffing on gasoline. Very sad.
Enjoy your day at sists!

KristinFilut said...

Stopping by from SITS...

Wow! Thanks for the info! It's so important for all of us to be aware. I remember my best friend in 1st grade's older brothe died from SSD. He and a group of friends were huffing gasoline in a neighbor's garage. It was devastating. Way to provide moms with tools and things to keep their eyes peeled for!

Single Mama NYC said...

From one single mom to another - thank you for all you do for your children. And thank you for posting such valuable information!

Missy said...

Scary stuff.

Stopping in from SITS.

Days of Whine & Noses said...

I remember walking past an older nieghbor boy every day on my block on the northside of Chicago. He was sniffing a rag constantly. Unfortunately this isn't a new thing but more people are aware.

Stopping by from SITS!

Rhiannon Bosse said...

This is scary now. I have heard about this alot of it's terrifying. To think kids could do this. I hope your blog saves someone's child from doing this!

Michelle said...

Great information!

Karen, author of "My Funny Dad, Harry" said...

Crazy what teens will find to do and how scary for their parents!
Congrats on your SITS day!

Claudya Martinez said...

I can't help but feel bummed out by this, but knowledge is power.

Kristen said...

Huffing is so common. My friends did it in high school {15 years ago}. I am sure things have changed even more...scary.

Jenn Erickson said...

Great looking blog and really wonderful collection of information. My daughters are 4 and 8. It's scary to think that these issues are just around the corner, but I'm happy to have found such a great resource to help dealing with the trials ahead.

Frugal New England Kitchen said...

Visiting from SITS!

Thanks for sharing this info. I saw something about this in my local newspaper about the dangers to kids and consequences of this.

Best of Luck on your studies.

Moomette's Magnificents last blog post:Tweaking My Blog and Sharing Tips I’ve Learned Along the Way

Viagra Online Without Prescription said...

OK kids, the usage of these recreational inhalators is very dangerous and it might cause severe damage in your brains. I almost die inhaling poppers.

Inhalant Addiction said...

People inhale chemical vapors in several ways, including sniffing, snorting, or spraying the inhalant directly into the nose or mouth, putting it into a bag or other container and then inhaling from there, putting the vapor onto a rag, or inhaling nitrous oxide from balloons.

Related Posts with Thumbnails