Pubdate: Fri, 16 Mar 2007 Source: Salem Times-Commoner (IL) Copyright: 2007 Salem Times-Commoner Contact: http://www.salem-tc.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4215 Author: Brandi Spelbring, Staff Writer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) SEMINAR LOOKS AT HOW CHILDREN ARE AFFECTED BY METH USE IN THEIR HOMES Neglect, Abuse Often Associated With This Dangerous Drug "Children living in meth labs might as well be taking the drug directly," said presenter Tamara Guy, from Prevent Child Abuse Illinois, during a seminar held on Tuesday at Kaskaskia College. Denise McCaffrey and Guy, prevention resource developers for Prevent Child Abuse Illinois, presented "Living in Danger: The Impact of Domestic Violence and Methamphetamine on Children" at the college on Tuesday morning. Prevent Child Abuse Illinois is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to provide public awareness concerning child-related issues and help link the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), law enforcement personnel, and other departments, when necessary, to benefit the welfare of children. The local community has watched as good people sadly ruin their lives because of their addiction to methamphetamine, but the impact of methamphetamine on children and the domestic situation is sometimes overlooked. These sad cases of meth addicts fallen from grace oftentimes include children's lives also ruined by their parents' mistakes. Children living in these homes may experience a variety of abuses and dangerous situations. As law enforcement officers begin to clean up the meth labs, they often arrive to find children amidst the squalor of meth-contaminated homes. These homes are typically rendered toxic from the methamphetamine production, which has even been found in the bedrooms of children in some cases. The impact of the methamphetamine epidemic on children is just now beginning to be studied and understood. Both McCaffrey and Guy emphasized the need for awareness of these children in meth-infested homes. When a house is busted for methamphetamine production and children are discovered inside, they must first be themselves decontaminated, then they put on new clothes and leave everything they have ever known behind. Along with leaving their parents, children from meth homes must leave all of their possessions, because they have been contaminated by the meth production process. McCaffrey explained that rare exceptions might include a child's glasses or hearing aid, which will be decontaminated. According to McCaffrey, 90 percent of children going into foster care are from meth homes. These displaced children will experience a variety of emotions, including tension, fear, misery, anguish, agitation, paranoia, depression, rage, confusion, and more. McCaffrey noted that 71 percent of them experience mental health symptoms, such as disassociation and post-traumatic stress. And, half of them will continue to have emotional and behavioral problems. Children whose parents use or manufacture meth may experience respiratory problems, delayed speech and language skills, elevated risk for kidney problems and leukemia, poor school performance/attendance problems, isolation, lack of immunizations and medical care, poor dental health, hyperactivity and ADHD, lice, obesity, developmental problems, violent behavior, drug usage, and lack of boundaries with easy attachment to strangers. Though the average age of the majority of users is between 18-35 years old, Guy reported one case of a child addicted to meth at age nine. The children misconstrue what is considered "normal" and believe drug use is "normal" behavior because it is all they have ever seen. According to Guy, meth addicts will hide their "stash" anywhere they think people would not normally expect to find meth - such as a baby seat, baby bed, or a myriad of other unexpected places. In some cases, meth was found being stored in sippy cups with children in the home. The danger includes not only the meth itself, but guns and other weapons, meth making material, and meth paraphernalia, such as discarded needles, all of which can be potentially lethal items for a child. Along with these potentially dangerous items, the child is exposed to a wide variety of chemicals used in the "cooking" process. Children are exposed by secondhand smoke and ingestion, especially among toddlers, who will put anything into their mouths. Along with the exposure to chemicals, the possibility of flammable and explosive elements are real risks when making meth. Twenty percent of meth labs are found by fire or explosion. Another major risk for children in meth homes include that of sexual abuse, along with the physical abuse. According to McCaffrey, meth users have lower inhibitions about right and wrong, along with a heightened sex drive, which can cause more sexual abuse. Also, high-risk populations such as sexual abusers or violent drug users are in more direct contact with children in meth homes because parents are less selective about who they allow to visit. Guy stated, 35 percent of meth labs seized have a child present in the home. And, 30 to 50 percent of those children tested positive for methamphetamine in their urine. Meth labs can be found in any home and at any income level. Guy reports that meth is not discriminatory, as the $400,000 home owner is just as likely as the home renter on the other side of the tracks to become addicted to meth. According to McCaffrey, children living in a meth addict's home are prone to violent outbursts from their parents, especially during the "tweaking" period when addicts become especially agitated. Parents who use meth may exhibit extreme mood fluctuations, violent behavior, depression, poor impulse control, lack of attention or hygiene, and acute psychotic episodes. As meth use continues, the parent is often unable to meet the basic needs of the child. Due to changes in brain chemistry, the parent may lose the capacity to provide appropriate care for children in the home. Guy reported that it's very typical for meth cookers to use items such as bowls and plates from the kitchen during the meth production and simply put them back in the kitchen to be used by their families. In this instance, a child may easily grab a bowl for cereal and find meth residue as a part of their breakfast. In most cases, though, the child would be lucky to find edible food in the home at all. Another side of neglect is poor nutrition. Meth users have no appetite and tend to forget to keep food in the home, thus children are very undernourished. These children oftentimes experience educational neglect, as well, because the parents often change homes, and as a result, the children must change schools. Parents in a meth home may require children to steal items needed for meth production. They may have the child strip batteries, open pills, strip match strikes, or other chores in the meth manufacturing process. Some parents use their child as a lookout, and others use the child to hold or transport drugs. Pregnant women who use meth, may cause their babies to experience premature birth, low birth weight, cerebral injuries, birth defects, cerebral palsy and paralysis, dopamine depletion, abnormal sleep patterns, poor feeding, limpness, apparent depression, shaking and tremors, irritability, fits or rage, excessive screaming, sensitivity to stimuli, and coordination problems. The effects on babies exposed to methamphetamine in the womb have yet to be fully understood, as most meth users also use nicotine and alcohol during pregnancy, which also cause many of the symptoms meth use causes. "Know the resources in your area, understand the dangers of meth, and seek out help for yourself or others in a dangerous situation," said McCaffrey. McCaffrey pointed out that combating meth needs to start with the community. People need to make themselves aware of suspicious homes that may be meth making homes. Guy warned that many ordinary household items can be a red flag, but usually they are found in large quantities before a red flag is raised. Precursors can be salt, lithium batteries, matches, etc. But one of the main ingredients, which cannot be substituted, is anhydrous ammonia, the most dangerous ingredient. Guy also pointed out that meth can be made anywhere. She shared one report of a mobile meth unit on a bicycle. Anywhere people can go, they can make meth, including homes, a vehicle, or a storage shed. Suspicious signs that meth is being made in a home can include the large quantities of precursors, windows that are covered or blackened, heavy traffic in and out of the house, unusual ventilation, and high-priced security systems. Guy explained a tell-tale sign of meth production is an extensive security system, because meth users are so paranoid that they often watch everyone coming in and out of their home with security cameras. Meth addiction was explained by Guy by comparing addiction rates. Only 10 percent of people who try alcohol for the first time become addicted to it, but 98 percent of people who try meth for the first time will become addicted. She further made her point by showing the dopamine levels in comparison. Dopamine is the part of the brain that allows people to experience enjoyment. Meth creates "dopamine dump," which dumps all of the dopamine into the receptors. Thus, the high is intense, said Guy. Dopamine levels for someone's favorite food might be about 150, using cocaine 340, and using meth around 1,050, explained Guy. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman