the invisible threat what sdfsca coordinators need to know sharyl adams chesterfield county youth...
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The Invisible Threat
What SDFSCA Coordinators Need to Know
Sharyl Adams Chesterfield County Youth Planning and
Development
Mary Lib Morgan Chesterfield County Public Schools
Test Your Awareness
8th grade past 30-day use in VirginiaVirginia 2005 Community Youth Survey
1. Alcohol a. 8%2. Cigarettes b. 19%3. Marijuana c. 9%4. Inhalants d. 6%
VA Compared to National
0 %
1 %
2 %
3 %
4 %
5 %
6 %
7 %
8 %
8 t h 1 0 t h 1 2 t h
V i r g i n i a 2 0 0 5
N a t i o n a l 2 0 0 5
Past 30-day Use
2005 VA Community Youth Survey
2005 Monitoring the Future Survey
Increased Risk
Youth who had used an inhalant in the past year were:
• 3 times more likely to have used marijuana
• 7 times more likely to have used hallucinogens
• 8 times more likely to have used cocaine
• 2 times more likely to have used heroin2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
What Is Inhalant Abuse?
Inhalant abuse is the deliberate concentration and breathing of fumes, vapors or gases to get high.
Why Inhalants?
Available
Cheap
Legal
Perception of safety
Quick acting
Short-lived effects
Easy to use
Easy to conceal
Hard to detect
Social activity
Immediate Effects of Inhalants
Dizziness Lightheaded Giddiness Impaired
coordination Slurred speech Headache
Distorts senses Disoriented Excitability Unpredictability Headache Nausea Rapid pulse
Methods of Inhalant Abuse
Huffing
Sniffing
Bagging
Ballooning
Techniques of Use
Internet Examples
Dusting Huffing AXE body spray
Immediate Dangers from Abuse
Passing out
Burns
Frostbite
Injuries
Death
Long-term Effects
Memory loss Impaired vision Hearing loss Coordination deficits Slurred speech Reduced lung function Muscle weakness Bone marrow damage Depression Dementia
Potential Causes of Death
Suffocation
Asphyxiation
Aspiration (choking on vomit)
Choking on small plastic bags accidentally inhaled
Fire or explosion
Fatal injury while under the influence
Sudden Sniffing Death
Sudden Sniffing Death
Adrenalineincrease
Cardiac arrhythmia
What to Do If You Find a Student Huffing
Remain calm and keep the student calm.
Remove any source of chemicals from around the nose or mouth.
If student is unconscious, call 911. Turn on side to prevent aspiration of vomit.
If not breathing, administer CPR.
Do not leave the student alone.
Contact the administrator in charge and the school nurse.
Ventilate the area.
Check area for products and paraphernalia and save.
Contact poison center.
Products and/or ParaphernaliaProducts and/or Paraphernalia• Plastic bags with paint or chemical stains or Plastic bags with paint or chemical stains or
smellsmell
• Large quantities of productsLarge quantities of products
• Empty product containersEmpty product containers
• Rags, clothes, cotton balls with chemical odorRags, clothes, cotton balls with chemical odor
• Aerosols with loose topsAerosols with loose tops
Signs of Use
Physical SymptomsPhysical Symptoms• Disorientation or giddinessDisorientation or giddiness
• Excitability or volatilityExcitability or volatility
• Paint or chemical stains on face or handsPaint or chemical stains on face or hands
• Chemical odor on breath or clothingChemical odor on breath or clothing
• Red, pimply rash around nose or mouthRed, pimply rash around nose or mouth
• Slurred speechSlurred speech
• Sore tongueSore tongue
• Increase in quantity and intensity of headachesIncrease in quantity and intensity of headaches
Signs of Use
Special Areas of Concern in School Setting
Bathrooms Locker rooms Kitchens Technology education
classrooms Art classroom Science labs Custodial closets School grounds
Guidelines for Selecting Materials
Don’t use materials that• Talk about “high” or “head rush”• Identify specific products• Show how products are misused
DO use materials that• Use appropriate vocabulary – poisons,
body pollutants, fire hazards• Stress using products as intended
Example of What to Avoid
“Huffing: The Latest Facts About Inhalant Abuse”
Product Awards Video Librarian 3.5 stars out of 4 stars
American Library Association (ALA) Notable Children's Video
List Grades: 5 - 9
School System Policy
Inhalants included in drug policy?
Language consistent with language about other substances of abuse?
Teaching Kids About Inhalants
Primary Goals of Student Curriculum
To teach
• potential dangers of inhalable products
• importance of using products safely
• structures and functions of brain
• impact of brain health on body functions
• adverse effects of inhalants on brain and body
Targeted Approaches
Naïve vs. Knowledgeable
K-5• Naïve
• Inhalants taught in context of poisons, fire hazards and body pollution
Targeted Approaches
Grades 6-8
• Some naïve, some knowledgeable. Explore what they already know.
• You may be connecting inhalants with substance abuse here
• Substitute “experiencing toxic effects” for “getting high”
• Emphasize poisons’ rapid, unfiltered path to brain
• Strengthen refusal skills
Possible Units of Study
Poisons Fire safety Environment Personal health and safety First aid Brain science Decision making and problem solving Substance abuse prevention
Consistency Counts
Share the responsibility of teaching about inhalants.
Use the same vocabulary.
Send the same message.
Students can and should hear this message multiple times from multiple people in multiple settings.
Sample Interactive Lesson
FAST FACTS™ on the Brain, Oxygen and Toxic Substances Sample lesson - grades 6-8
Making the Invisible Visible
Marta Szuba, ChairMarta Szuba, Chair540-942-6757 540-942-6757
[email protected]@ci.waynesboro.va.us.
Next meeting: May 14, 10:30 am Next meeting: May 14, 10:30 am American Lung Association of VirginiaAmerican Lung Association of Virginia
9221 Forest Hill Avenue9221 Forest Hill AvenueRichmond, VA 23235Richmond, VA 23235
Virginia Inhalant Abuse PreventionCoalition
Additional ResourcesAdditional Resources
Interactive Parent Training Module Interactive Parent Training Module inhalantabusetraining.orginhalantabusetraining.org
National Inhalant Abuse Prevention National Inhalant Abuse Prevention CoalitionCoalition www.inhalants.org
Alliance for Consumer EducationAlliance for Consumer Educationwww.inhalant.org
Presenter Contact InformationPresenter Contact Information
Sharyl AdamsSharyl Adams
Mary Lib MorganMary Lib Morgan