drdªv€
05-10-2006, 09:54 AM
By Jennifer Fernandez, Staff Writer
GREENSBORO — Seven students at Northeast Middle and High schools were treated this week for abusing over-the-counter cold medicine, health and school officials said.
Officials with Guilford County Schools acknowledged the incidents in a brief statement released about 5 p.m. Friday. Two middle school students were sent to the hospital Tuesday for "being under the influence" and five high school students were sent home Thursday after consuming the medicine off campus, district officials said.
A spokesman with Moses Cone Hospital said two people were treated Tuesday and two more Thursday for overdosing on Coricidin, an over-the-counter cold and cough medication. He could not release further details
THE CHALKBOARD
Read more about education and share your thoughts at the News & Record’s blog The Chalkboard.No local data on teen abuse of cold medicine could be found Friday.
But the Partnership for a Drug-Free America reports that one in 11 teens, or over two million children, has abused cough medicine to get high.
It's not a new trend. Teens learned decades ago that cough medicine could get them high. At first, codeine created the buzz that teens craved. Since the 1970s, the active ingredient in cold medicine has been dextromethorphan, according to kidshealth.org.
Among its many modern names: "dex," "skittles" and "Triple-C," for the over-the-counter medicine, Coricidin HBP (high blood pressure) Cough & Cold.
In large doses, dextromethorphan induces hallucinations.
That delirium can lead to irregular heart beats, seizures and even death, said Dr. Glenn Jennings, medical director of child and adolescent psychiatry at Moses Cone Behavioral Health Center.
He was not aware of an increase in abuse locally, but said it often "comes in waves."
Middle school-age students are most at-risk for abusing such drugs because they are cheap and easily accessed, he said.
"Kids sometimes try these things first," when they can't get other drugs, Jennings said.
Officials don't know what prompted this outbreak.
Students could have seen something on the internet, television or at a concert, said Reid McCormick, training manager for Guilford County EMS.
But seven cases in such a short period of time could point to the beginning of a local trend, he said.
He plans to give paramedics information on symptoms and treatment of cold medicine abuse.
"Whatever's happened here is going to start showing up in other places," McCormick said. "The news will spread. So we need to get ready."
Parents should take stock of what is in their medicine cabinets, he advised.
In addition, drug abuse Web sites say parents should:
•lock the medicine cabinet or keep over-the-counter medication in less accessible places
•look for unusual-looking tablets
•watch for signs of drug abuse
•monitor internet usage, where drugs or information about their use can be accessed readily
District officials said the two incidents are being investigated and both schools will be holding an awareness session on the abuse of over-the-counter medicine.
Northeast High principal Anitra Walker and Northeast Middle principal Melissa Harrelson declined to comment Friday on the incidents. They referred questions to the district's communications department.
http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...EC0101/60505012 (http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060506/NEWSREC0101/60505012)
GREENSBORO — Seven students at Northeast Middle and High schools were treated this week for abusing over-the-counter cold medicine, health and school officials said.
Officials with Guilford County Schools acknowledged the incidents in a brief statement released about 5 p.m. Friday. Two middle school students were sent to the hospital Tuesday for "being under the influence" and five high school students were sent home Thursday after consuming the medicine off campus, district officials said.
A spokesman with Moses Cone Hospital said two people were treated Tuesday and two more Thursday for overdosing on Coricidin, an over-the-counter cold and cough medication. He could not release further details
THE CHALKBOARD
Read more about education and share your thoughts at the News & Record’s blog The Chalkboard.No local data on teen abuse of cold medicine could be found Friday.
But the Partnership for a Drug-Free America reports that one in 11 teens, or over two million children, has abused cough medicine to get high.
It's not a new trend. Teens learned decades ago that cough medicine could get them high. At first, codeine created the buzz that teens craved. Since the 1970s, the active ingredient in cold medicine has been dextromethorphan, according to kidshealth.org.
Among its many modern names: "dex," "skittles" and "Triple-C," for the over-the-counter medicine, Coricidin HBP (high blood pressure) Cough & Cold.
In large doses, dextromethorphan induces hallucinations.
That delirium can lead to irregular heart beats, seizures and even death, said Dr. Glenn Jennings, medical director of child and adolescent psychiatry at Moses Cone Behavioral Health Center.
He was not aware of an increase in abuse locally, but said it often "comes in waves."
Middle school-age students are most at-risk for abusing such drugs because they are cheap and easily accessed, he said.
"Kids sometimes try these things first," when they can't get other drugs, Jennings said.
Officials don't know what prompted this outbreak.
Students could have seen something on the internet, television or at a concert, said Reid McCormick, training manager for Guilford County EMS.
But seven cases in such a short period of time could point to the beginning of a local trend, he said.
He plans to give paramedics information on symptoms and treatment of cold medicine abuse.
"Whatever's happened here is going to start showing up in other places," McCormick said. "The news will spread. So we need to get ready."
Parents should take stock of what is in their medicine cabinets, he advised.
In addition, drug abuse Web sites say parents should:
•lock the medicine cabinet or keep over-the-counter medication in less accessible places
•look for unusual-looking tablets
•watch for signs of drug abuse
•monitor internet usage, where drugs or information about their use can be accessed readily
District officials said the two incidents are being investigated and both schools will be holding an awareness session on the abuse of over-the-counter medicine.
Northeast High principal Anitra Walker and Northeast Middle principal Melissa Harrelson declined to comment Friday on the incidents. They referred questions to the district's communications department.
http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...EC0101/60505012 (http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060506/NEWSREC0101/60505012)