Poison Center Offers Tips on a Safe Back-to-School Season

Poison Center Offers Tips on a Safe Back-to-School Season

For all kids, returning to school is full of possibilities. But for preteens, teenagers and college students in particular, it can also be full of potential dangers. By talking to your children about substances that can harm them, you can help them get the best experience out of their prime learning years.

• Be wary of energy drinks. The same energy drinks that students take to cram during late-night study sessions or student athletes take to get through long days of sports practice pose more of a threat to their health than a benefit to their performance. Energy drinks contain large doses of caffeine. Some contain additional stimulants promoted to increase energy, enhance mood and delay sleep. The amount of caffeine in many energy drinks is much greater than the amount found in soda and is often much greater than the amount found in a cup of coffee, putting consumers at a far greater risk of caffeine overdose and related health problems. If improperly consumed, these products can cause symptoms that include nausea, vomiting, nervousness, tremor, insomnia, restlessness, delirium, sweating, headache, seizures, and increased heart rhythm. Many energy drinks are consumed by teens participating in sports activities because they are believed to boost performance and to replenish fluids. In fact, they are actually diuretics that increase dehydration. Do your child a favor and keep him or her away from energy drinks.
• It’s easy to laugh off alcohol use among teens and college kids. Don’t. What might seem like lighthearted teenage experimentation can contribute to academic failure, violence, injuries, sexual assaults and death. Alcohol poisoning is often fatal or could result in permanent brain damage.  Signs include mental confusion, low body temperature, coma, and irregular or decreased breathing, and pale or bluish skin.  Excessive alcohol use can lead to vomiting and unconsciousness. Talk to your teen and college student about drinking and its consequences.
• For younger kids, the dangers of inhalants are real – and deadly. These substances, which can include solvents and gases that are abused to get a high, are increasingly common among children ages 10 to 12, and are a special concern because kids can die the first, tenth or hundredth time they sniff or huff.  Tweens can experience toxic effects like a dazed appearance, slurred speech, nose bleeds and loss of muscle control. Look for unusually large collections of paint, spray cans, or room deodorizers and notice red eyes or chemical smells on the breath or clothing. Be wary of the dangers of “huffing,” and don’t tolerate experimentation.
• Prescribed and used correctly, prescription drugs have legitimate uses and positive results. But prescription pain medicine, also known as opioids, are commonly misused and abused among all age groups. Opioids can slow the body’s systems down to the point where a person stops breathing.  Other potential dangers include ADHD drugs like Adderall and Ritalin, which are abused as “brain boosters” or “academic enhancers.” Misusing or abusing them could lead to an increased heart rate, restlessness, seizures and difficulty breathing.

• Teens are increasingly casual about their use of over-the-counter and prescription drugs, recreationally abusing them without regard for the potential health impacts of mixing these drugs. Many times alcohol is used as a chaser, complicating the effects of the drugs. While most adults think that this is insane, try to put on “kid lenses” and see how the daring and unknown would appeal to some risk-takers. Then have a frank discussion with your child about the dangers of experimenting with drugs.

Contact the Nebraska Regional Poison Center for any questions you may have at 1-800-222-1222.