OT-Kids and Drugs

I work in the health industry and saw this article at work today. Very frightening, especially for those who have high school aged children. Thought it was worth posting...

News Review From Harvard Medical School -- 1 in 5 Teens Abuses Prescription Drugs
About 1 out of 5 high school students has taken a prescription drug that a doctor did not prescribe, a new survey finds. The government survey of risky teen behavior is conducted every two years. The 2009 survey was the first to ask about prescription drug abuse. It included 16,000 teenagers. The abused drugs included pain pills, attention deficit drugs used as study aids, and others. Use was highest among 12th graders. About 1 in 4 seniors said they had used a drug without a prescription. The Associated Press wrote about the survey.


By Claire McCarthy, M.D.
Harvard Medical School


What Is the Doctor's Reaction?

Parents, have you checked your pill bottles recently? If you have teens in your house, you might want to do just that -- because one-fifth of U.S. high school students are taking prescription drugs that weren't prescribed for them.

The Youth Risk Behavioral Survey is given every other year to high school students across the United States. In 2009, more than 16,000 students answered questions about health risk behaviors. The survey is very comprehensive. It asks about everything from drug use to sex to diet and exercise habits.

In 2009, the survey asked for the first time about prescription drug abuse. It asked students if they had ever taken a prescription drug without a doctor's prescription. The results were startling; a full 20% of high school students answered yes. The numbers were even higher in certain groups. Among white students, the rate was 23%. Among high school seniors, it was 26%!

Prescription drugs include narcotics such as Oxycontin and Percocet. They included stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin, and anxiety drugs such as Xanax. Many prescription drugs can be dangerous. Some can be addictive, if taken without a doctor's supervision. The fact that thousands of teens are doing something that could have huge effects on their health and well-being is truly frightening.

What Changes Can I Make Now?

This is information that requires a response from everyone who interacts with teens.

If you have teens, or know any, talk with them about the dangers of prescription drug use. Explain that they should never take anything that isn't prescribed for them. Because these medications are prescribed by a doctor, many teens may think that they aren't dangerous -- but they are.

If there are any prescription medicines in your house, monitor them. This is especially important if the medicines are prescribed for pain or for psychiatric problems. Know how many pills are in the containers, and check regularly.

Dispose properly of any unused medicines. Never flush pills down the toilet unless the bottle tells you to, as this can cause drugs to enter the water supply. The best way to dispose of them is through a collection event in your community. If there isn't an event soon, empty the unused pills into a sealable container such as a zippered plastic bag. Mix this with an undesirable substance such as cat litter or coffee grounds. Then put it in the trash.

If you are the parent of a teen, monitor your child for any changes in behavior that might indicate use of prescription drugs. It's hard to say which behaviors you should watch for, as symptoms will vary with each medicine. Here are some signs that should prompt you to pay closer attention and ask more questions.

Changes in sleep habits
Irritability or agitation
More time spent alone
A drop in grades
Less interest in activities
Changes in social circles

If you have any questions about your child's behavior, or about the possible effects of medicines, call your doctor.

What Can I Expect Looking to the Future?

These results of this new survey are very worrisome. But really, they give us more questions than answers. The survey didn't ask which medicines the students were taking, or why, or how often. To create effective education and prevention programs, we need to know more. I hope that the 2011 survey will have more questions on prescription drug abuse so that we can better understand the problem and what to do about it.

The world has become more complicated since we were teens. In many ways, it is more dangerous. All of us need to come together to understand what is facing and affecting our children -- and to make the world safer for them.