Inhalants

By Shae, July 2005

One of the most dangerous substances abused by children and teens can be easily found underneath your kitchen sink or on a shelf in your pantry. These toxic substances are collectively referred to as inhalants – breathable chemical fumes that create mind-altering effects. Many people are unaware that household items such as spray paints, nail polish remover, hair spray, glues, and cleaning fluids present any risk of abuse because their intoxicating effects are so totally unconnected to their intended uses. Yet, young children and adolescents are among those most likely to abuse them, and do seek them out for this purpose.

National surveys indicate that inhalant abuse is particularly prevalent among our Nation’s young people. Some teens abuse inhalants as a substitute for alcohol because they can be obtained easily. Data suggests that inhalant abuse reaches its peak at some point during the seventh through ninth grades. According to Monitoring the Future (MTF), eighth-graders regularly report the highest rates of abuse. In fact, MTF data for 2004 showed a significant increase in lifetime inhalant use among eighth-graders.

Inhalants are dangerous. The Nation’s emergency departments in 2002 reported almost 1,500 mentions of inhalant abuse by patients. Regular abuse of inhalants can cause serious damage to major organs, including the brain, liver, heart, kidneys, and lungs. However, even a single session of repeated inhalations can lead to cardiac arrest and death by altering normal heart rhythms or by preventing enough oxygen from entering the lungs, causing suffocation.

Early identification and intervention are the best ways to stop inhalant abuse before it causes serious health consequences. Parents should be alert to the following signs of a serious inhalant abuse problem:

  • Inattentiveness, lack of coordination, irritability, and depression
  • Drunk or disoriented appearance
  • Paint or other stains on face, hands, or clothes
  • Chemical odors on breath or clothing
  • Slurred speech
  • Hidden empty spray paint or solvent containers and chemical-soaked rags or clothing
  • Nausea or loss of appetite

If you are worried about your child, intervene. You could be saving their life.

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