Parents Urged To Talk About Sleeping Aids Following Incident

Natalie Bruzon
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A Clearwater-Orchard High School student was transported by ambulance today following an incident with sleeping aids.

The alert, sent out to area parents by Principal Make Sanne, stated that the student was taken as a precaution.

“Today, we had an incident with high school students sharing and taking over-the-counter sleeping aids,” said Sanne in the alert. “I addressed the high school student body over lunch hour, warning them and reminded them about these risky behaviours and practices.

Sanne said he sent the alert to give parents the opportunity to further discuss these risky behaviors with their students at home.

Conversations like that can be difficult, and Jill Bates, assistant administrator at ESU 8 and a former nurse, gave some talking points for parents to get the conversation going.

According to Bates, educating students on the dangers of sharing and abusing over-the-counter medication is important. However, it is also important to consider the child’s age when talking about the subject.

“I think the education for students needs to be age appropriate, you talk with kids in elementary school differently about medication than you would in high school,” explained Bates. “Since this was at the secondary level, I think you need to talk about the bad side effects that can happen if they share medications. Even over the counter medications aren’t for everybody, and especially if it’s a prescription med.”

Bates further explained that prescription medications are prescribed based on factors such as weight and other medication a person may be taking, making the sharing of these especially dangerous.

“I think we need to really talk about the side effects, such as vomiting or not being able to remember what they did, or especially with teenagers, how over the counter medication can also affect their ability to to make good decisions,” Bates emphasized.  “They’re out on the road, they’re driving, they’re competing athletically, and it can have an effect on that.”

Another important talking point Bates suggest for parents is the dangers of mixing medication.

“I think (parents) need to talk about the dangers of mixing medication also,” said Bates. “Because in some cases, if I’m taking a certain medication and then share that with someone else, it could have really exacerbated side effects or cause other problems.”

Bates stressed that for older students, it’s important to discuss the effects these kinds of risky behaviours will have on their future.

“Also with older kids I think you need to talk about how drug use can threaten their plans for college or for a job,” Bates said. “Because at that point in their lives kids are really thinking about the future and they don’t want to mess things up.”

Another precautionary step for parents to take, according to Bates, is being aware of the types of medications in their cabinets.

“At home it’d be really important for parents to be aware of what kind of medications they have in their cabinets and get rid of old medicines that they haven’t used,” explained Bates. “There’s a trend for kids to just grab all of the medications and just take whatever’s on the counter, and that’s horribly dangerous. You don’t want to give kids an opportunity to participate in activities like that.”

Bates also said that another common practice with kids today is abusing cough medicine.

“Just because something’s sold over-the-counter doesn’t mean that it’s safe,” emphasized Bates. “If kids have been to a pharmacy, they’ll notice that a lot of the cold medications are locked and that you can’t get them off the counter. That tells you that just because it’s over the counter doesn’t mean that it’s safe.”

School is a place for kids to socialize and develop into adults, and Bates said it’s important for parents to talk to kids about peer pressure and identity.

“(Telling kids) that you don’t have to do something that you know is dangerous just to try to fit in,” said Bates. “It’s more important to try to establish their own identity, and you want that identity to be one of being healthy.”