Protect your child
On July 26, China News Service called Ms. Liu, the mother of Xiao Cong (pseudonym), a 14-year-old student in Anda City, Heilongjiang Province, who was admitted to the ICU due to "drug abuse" in class. She said that the child is currently "quite fine" and has basically reached a compensation agreement with the pharmacy that sold the prescription drugs to Xiao Cong.
In June this year, Xiao Cong, a 14-year-old junior high school student in Qingkenpao Township, Anda City, Heilongjiang Province, suddenly fainted unconscious after swallowing 30 tablets of the prescription drug carbamazepine in class, and was rushed to the hospital ICU for rescue. This incident is a matter of concern.
According to reports, Xiao Cong fainted unconscious after taking 30 tablets of carbamazepine in class, and was rushed to the hospital ICU for rescue. Xiao Cong's mother, Ms. Liu, previously told the media: "After the incident, the pharmacy admitted that they sold the medicine to Xiao Cong, and the other party did not agree to our 40,000 yuan compensation for medical expenses, but just let us go through personal insurance." ”
What is carbamazepine? Why do teenage children take this drug in large quantities? And how can we keep children out of such dangers?
What is carbamazepine?
According to reports, Xiao Cong told media reporters afterwards that in addition to taking 30 tablets of carbamazepine and being admitted to the ICU, he had also taken dextromethorphan tablets several times before, and the two drugs had similar effects, "can hallucinate and relax the mood", and they were all purchased at the local Lida Pharmacy.
Pan Xiao, an associate professor of the Department of Medical Psychology of Shanghai Changzheng Hospital and an expert in the outpatient clinic of child and adolescent psychology (learning difficulties), said in an interview with China News Service that carbamazepine is a kind of psychotropic drug, which is mainly used to treat epilepsy, trigeminal neuralgia and glossopharyngeal neuralgia, and prevent or treat bipolar disorder.
The drug has strict requirements for the dosage used, and the daily limit for adolescents between 12 and 15 years old is not more than 10 tablets per day; No more than 12 tablets over 15 years old. Common adverse effects of taking carbamazepine include skin allergies and hematologic reactions such as thrombocytopenia or leukopenia. In addition, severe symptoms such as acute dystonia, cerebellar disorders, and impaired consciousness may occur.
Does your child become addicted to medication because of an illness?
According to reports, Ms. Liu firmly denied this: "Since he was a child, he has not had epilepsy, and he is usually happy, and he has not been found to have depression tendencies, and he has not been prescribed relevant prescriptions before." ”
How should these drugs be managed?
Pan Xiao said that although carbamazepine does not belong to the psychotropic drugs that are strictly controlled in the mainland's "Catalogue of Psychotropic Drugs", even if it is officially prescribed in the psychiatric department of the hospital, there is a strict process and supervision when using this drug.
However, Xiao Cong said in an interview with the media, "When I went to buy it, the pharmacy staff didn't ask me for a doctor's prescription and ID card, and sold it to me casually." ”
Pharmacies that sell prescription drugs that are strictly controlled in violation of regulations will be investigated and dealt with by relevant departments in accordance with the law. It is reported that the local market supervision department has intervened in the investigation, and the child's mother also chose to call the police after the incident.
Why do junior high school students choose to "take drugs"?
According to Xiao Cong after being discharged from the hospital, the reason for taking the medicine was because he was curious and wanted to try it. "I've read it on the Internet before, and I said that I feel very comfortable taking this medicine and have hallucinogenic effects, so I want to give it a try." Xiao Cong revealed that he had bought dextromethorphan at Lida Pharmacy before, and he had bought it with cash, about four or five times in the past year. "In our school, I am not the only one who secretly takes medicine, many students are also taking dextromethorphan, these two drugs have similar effects after taking too much, which will make people feel relaxed and happy, and some students have been taking it for more than 1 year."
Li Jian, a national second-level psychological counselor and director of the Youth Social Work Service Center in Ulanhot, Inner Mongolia, said in an interview with China News Agency that secretly taking drugs for the sake of excitement has begun to appear among teenagers and even children under the age of 14. Some hemp essence drugs used for medical purposes such as antitussive, analgesic, and sleeping are dressed in a fashionable coat and appear on the market in the form of "top e-cigarettes", "smart drugs" and "diet pills", which are sought after by teenagers and even abused as addictions, and these problems have a tendency to spread in schools.
Why would children be interested in these things that put even adults off?
Li Jian said that many children now have a single activity, and in addition to studying, they eat, sleep, and attend training classes every day, which is under great pressure and lacks opportunities and ways to relax and be mentally happy.
At the same time, many children now have too much contact with mobile phones, especially watching some short videos for a long time. The stimulation of these short videos to children's brains is so strong that even adults can't help but stay up all night watching videos. Children will have a sense of numbness after being strongly stimulated by these short videos for a long time, and it is difficult for them to get a satisfactory sense of pleasure in the process of reading novels, listening to stories or playing games.
In addition, there are also reasons such as the lack of parental companionship and the lack of effective and efficient communication channels with parents. It cannot be ruled out that these are the factors that lead children to seek thrills from drugs, tobacco, or even drugs.
How can I keep my child away from "contraband"?
Illegal drugs and supplies, tobacco products, especially various e-cigarettes, began to enter schools and erode children.
Li Xinquan, a procurator of the Yingze District Procuratorate in Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, who has handled a number of cases involving narcotic drugs, said that the mainland's anti-drug propaganda on heroin, methamphetamine, and other traditional drugs is relatively sufficient, and minors generally refuse to take them. However, for some new drugs, minors are not so precautionary and tend to consume them for the sake of fashion or short-term stimulation.
The mainland has a strict control system for narcotics and psychotropic substances, and those who illegally sell prohibited drugs constitute a crime may be sentenced to death for drug trafficking. However, some empty and thrill-seeking children often get it through various channels, including the Internet.
Li Jian believes that keeping children away from drugs and illegal drugs requires the linkage of families, schools, communities, regulatory departments, judicial organs and even the whole society. Parents are the first step in protecting their children, and they are very important.
How can you tell if your child may be exposed to these contraband? Pan Xiao gave 7 tips to parents and friends:
1
Understand by yourself: Parents first need to understand the relevant knowledge of drugs, including the types of new drugs, appearance characteristics, common abuse methods, etc.;
2
Observe behavioral changes: pay attention to whether there are abnormal changes in children's behavior, such as sudden decline in academic performance, changes in work and rest time, mood swings, changes in social circles, etc.;
3
Pay attention to physical condition: observe whether the child has any changes in physical health, such as sudden weight loss, abnormal skin (such as rash, injection marks), eye congestion, pupil size changes, etc.;
4
Check items: Check your child's personal belongings, such as school bags, pockets, rooms, etc., to see if there are any unknown drugs, pills, powders, drug tools, etc.;
5
Pay attention to online activities: Pay attention to your child's online activities, whether they visit suspicious websites, participate in unknown online communities or communicate with suspicious people;
6
Be vigilant about the influence of the circle of friends: understand the child's circle of friends, whether there are bad friends or bad influences, and prevent the child from being pressured or tempted by peers;
7
Seek professional help: If you suspect that your child has been exposed to drugs, do not hesitate to seek help from professionals such as drug rehabilitation centers for timely assessment and intervention.
Author: Zhao Bin
Source: The country is a through train