Marilyn Heins: Adults must keep addictive drugs away from kids

Many of us have called a Poison Control Center when a child or pet ingested, inhaled or fell into a possibly toxic substance. Callers are either given emergency instructions on what to do, most often a visit to an emergency room, or told the substance is not harmful.

Pediatricians in the mid 20th century realized that the unintended ingestion of household products made up a large percentage of accidents involving children. After an epidemic of child poisonings in 1950, several organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, went into action against accidental poisonings in children. This led to a national system of Poison Control Centers. Plus pediatricians routinely began to provide information about child-proofing the house before the baby starts to crawl. The incidence of deaths from toxic substances fell precipitously.

But there is a troubling uptick caused by a new threat to young children that could be lurking in their homes these days. A recent National Center on Addiction and Substance report reveals that the addictive drugs of choice these days, especially opioids and vapes (e-cigarettes), not only affect teens and adults but young children, as well.

All of us are horrified by the epidemic of opioid addiction that usually starts with prescribed or stolen prescription drugs but morphs into street heroin or the lethal fentanyl. Deaths from fentanyl increased 540 percent from 3,000 to more than 20,000.

Fentanyl, especially the unregulated street drug, rapidly satisfies addiction but also rapidly stops breathing. An antidote is available, but death often occurs before help can be obtained.

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse reports that in 2016 Poison Control Centers received more than 30,000 reports of children under 5 involving addictive substances. Between 2000 and 2015, there were over 100,000 incidents involving opioids in children under 5, with 68 fatalities. Half of ER visits for children under 5 are due to prescription drugs, either opioids like Oxycontin or anxiety medications like Xanax.

Alcohol poisoning incidents have risen in children under 5, accounting for 1 out of 4 calls to poison-control centers. And marijuana-exposure reports have increased. Children under 3 accounted for more than 75 percent of marijuana calls, most often from edibles.

Calls to Poison Control about e-cigarettes have markedly increased over the past three years. To me, the startling statistic is that half of these calls involved children under 5, kids not even in kindergarten. One toddler died after ingesting liquid nicotine from an e-cigarette.

It gets worse: 95 percent of poisoning incidents from tobacco cigarettes were in this age group. Children exposed to parents who smoke both tobacco and marijuana have a higher incidence of ER visits and ear infections.

Listen! I am blowing a big imaginary whistle. This is an important safety alert for parents, grandparents, babysitters and anyone who has a young child in your home (or might have one visit you).

If you have any addictive or recreational substances in your home, car, pocketbook, backpack, garage or even the pocket in the jacket you hang over your desk chair when you get home, you have a job to do. Do it now!

Protect children, especially young children, from coming in contact with anything an addict is using, especially opioids. You must also protect children from finding and ingesting alcohol, marijuana, e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes. Check the coffee table and any surfaces within reach.

I am not going to argue about whether cannabis is addictive or not. I know it can sicken and perhaps even kill young children. I am not going to urge an opioid addict to get clean, although I hope you can find help. I am just begging you to realize that the substances on your person or in your house can be lethal to a young child.

Parents today are pretty savvy about child-proofing the house so that the young crawler or toddler cannot ingest any dangerous medications like flavored vitamins and bottles of liquids like shampoo (babies will try anything). We have been warned about purses (especially Grandma’s) that may carry prescription medications. We have been taught about household products like dishwashing or laundry detergent, including attractive laundry pods. But many do not realize that opioids, alcohol, tobacco or marijuana can mean a trip to the hospital. All addictive drugs are downright dangerous to a young child.

Parents and grandparents today must be savvy about signs of addiction. Be aware that an adult or recreational user who lives in or visits your home might be “in possession” of a substance potentially lethal to a young child. A helpless child needs the protection of a sober adult who makes sure the child cannot come in contact with any of these substances.

Addicts need our help, too, but addiction is a complex issue in America and will be until we realize it is a public health problem and use resources to help manage this illness. I know about several addicts who did find a way to get off drugs when a child was on the way.

Expectant parent addicts who heroically manage to get clean can and do become loving parents and good role models. On the other hand, I never met a parent who was proud of his or her addiction. But all addicts are devastated when a child has to be removed from the home.