The Bottom Line: Most adolescent overdose deaths occur at home. Here's what parents need to know | WBOI

You may have heard that the number of overdose deaths in the United States has declined, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but the problem isn't going away. More than 100,000 people in the United States. In fact, teens continue to die from drug overdoses. Here is the most striking result from this data. The majority of these adolescent overdose deaths occur at home.

Today's Checkup question is: What do parents and young people need to know to avoid an overdose death?

Side Effects Public Media community engagement specialist Lizzy McGrevy spoke with editor Farah Yousry about it.

This transcript has been edited for length, style and clarity.

Lizzy McGrevy: Can you tell us what we know about youth and overdoses?

Farah Yousry: As you mentioned earlier, Lizzy, the number of young people dying from drug overdoses more than doubled in 2022 compared to 2019, and that's among teens ages 10 to 19.

McGrevy: Wow, Farah, that's so young.

Yousry: Yeah. And as parents, we're usually more worried when our teens are partying or doing other teen activities with friends far away from us. But what the CDC data tells us is that in reality, most of these overdose deaths are happening right under our noses – at home.

“A quarter of teen deaths had evidence of counterfeit pill use and counterfeit pills are somehow easily marketed to teens through social media. And I think it's easier to get started with using counterfeit drugs and pills. They may look like legitimate pharmaceutical drugs, but they often contain fentanyl,” said Lauren Tanz, senior scientist in the CDC’s Division of Overdose Prevention. “Most deaths occur in the home where the deceased lives and about two-thirds had someone nearby who could have intervened to prevent the overdose.”

McGrevy: We know we have tools to reverse overdoses and that it can save lives. Why don't we use these tools?

Yousry: According to the data, family or friends present in the home may be spatially separated from the adolescent – ​​the parents may be in the living room and the child in their own bedroom. So they don't see what's happening. Other times, they didn't even know their teen was using drugs. And so, they didn't know that they had to administer naloxone.

Other times, people simply didn't have tools like naloxone at home, or simply didn't know how to use it.

Tanz also said that in nearly a third of adolescent overdose deaths, naloxone was indeed used, but it did not save the person. She says in those cases, perhaps the dose of naloxone used wasn't enough, or in some cases, “polydrugs” may have been involved.

“Polydrugs means there was more than one drug or type of drug involved in an overdose,” Tanz said. “So something like an opioid and a stimulant. Naloxone can only reverse an opioid overdose. That said, more than 90% of adolescent overdose deaths involved an opioid, so it is still important to administer naloxone in the event of an overdose.

McGrevy: So what should families know or do to prevent a tragedy like this from happening?

Yousry: First of all, stocking up on naloxone is a great idea. Then learning how to use it is crucial. There are many educational videos on the CDC website, if you just search for the word “Naloxone” on their website.

Tanz said what really stops kids from starting to use drugs is building a strong social network around them. So if, for example, they are close to their family, they organize activities at school –– all this involvement helps the children and prevents substance use.

Finally, if the parent knows that their child is using drugs, it is important, firstly, to ensure that they do so safely and, secondly, to seek effective treatment as soon as possible.

McGrevy: Let's say a parent or guardian is concerned about their child using drugs. Are there certain signs or symptoms to watch for that could indicate drug use?

Yousry: A change in behavior or mood, prolonged disappearance, locked doors, being secretive, inability to concentrate, among others, are signs to watch out for.

Experts also say that a history of mental illness is another risk factor for drug use.

So, as a parent, if you have doubts, experts advise, you shouldn't be afraid to err on the side of caution. Be prepared to ask tough questions like “have you vaped or used drugs?” »

Parents must be prepared to respond in a way that does not alienate the child if he uses drugs and to help him.

McGrevy: Farah, thank you so much for this very important information and for shedding light with us today. If you [listeners] If you have any other questions about opioid or substance use, mental health, or any other health-related topics, please let us know and we can try to answer them next time on The Checkup. Be careful.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call, text or chat to Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.

The Checkup by Side Effects Public Media is a regular audio segment on WFYI's daily podcast, WFYI News Now.

Side Effects Public Media is a health reporting collaboration based at WFYI in Indianapolis. We partner with NPR stations in and around the Midwest, including KBIA and KCUR in Missouri, Iowa Public Radio, Ideastream in Ohio and WFPL in Kentucky.

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