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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2007)
TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS hoi. tobacco and other drugs. You can call in your questions to the numbers above or mail them to: Raven P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380-0549 Dear Raven: People are always talking about how drugs are had for kids. What about adults? By Anonymous Dear Anonymous: Sometimes we focus on something, like how drugs and alcohol affect youth, and we forget to pay attention to the whole family and whole community. So I’m glad you are helping us remember to do that. I will answer your question with that in mind. People of all ages suffer the harm ful consequences of alcohol/other drug abuse and addiction. Here is some basic information: • • • Babies who are exposed to legal and illegal drugs in the womb may be born premature and underweight. This drug exposure can slow the child's intellectual development and affect behavior later in life. Adolescents who abuse alcohol/ other drugs often act out, do poorly in school and drop out of school. They are at risk of unplanned preg nancies, violence and infectious diseases. Adults who abuse alcohol/other drugs often have problems think ing clearly, remembering and pay ing attention. Their work perfor mance and personal relationships suffer, and they may have legal and financial problems as a result of drug abuse. They too are at risk of infectious diseases and other health problems related to their use. Parents’ alcohol/other drug abuse often means chaotic, stress-filled homes, child abuse and neglect. These conditions harm the well being and development of children in the home and may set the stage for alcohol/drug abuse in the next generation. Thank you for writing! And Happy Holidays! Raven 8 • Siletz News • by Delina John, Prevention Coordinator Underage Drinking Awareness Dear Friends: To those of you who drop me notes saying “Hi,” I want to say “Hi” back to you! Thanks for your friendship! Raven • Prevention With the holidays just around the corner and your chiId/chiIdren having time off from school, it's a good time to talk with them about making healthy choices for themselves. It’s hard growing up today in our toxic culture and the pres sures of everyday life sometimes are hard to handle, especially for pre-teens and teens. You as parents have an important role in helping them make positive, healthy choices to say “NO to ATOD.” I have chosen this month’s article to focus on binge drinking and alcohol poisoning. It’s important that we as parents have all the facts about what is happening in our communities so if we see signs of underage drinking, we can help. Let’s all be part of that solution and let our child/children know what they could be facing if they choose to drink. If you want more information on underage drinking or have questions regarding anything else, please call 1-800-600-5599 or 541-444-8267. • Call 911. tions, killing a person within hours. • Stay with the victim. That’s because of the physiological ef • Keep the victim from choking on fects of alcohol, which suppresses nerves vomit by placing them on their side. that control involuntary actions like • Tell the emergency medical tech breathing, heartbeat and the gag reflex. nicians exactly how much alcohol Even after a person stops drinking, the victim drank- don't guess or alcohol in the stomach continues to minimize the amount! enter the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body. That's why binge Prompt medical attention is the only drinking is especially dangerous, be way to save a person’s life if they have cause many victims ingest a lethal dose consumed too much alcohol. It can be of alcohol before losing consciousness. deadly to try to reverse the effects of alco By the time they do lose consciousness, hol by drinking coffee, taking a cold bath and even if friends and family rush or shower, sleeping or walking it off. them to a hospital, it may be too late. So once again the message is clear Even if caught in time and the vic - Talk to your child/children! The more tim survives, alcohol poisoning often information you as the parent can give results in permanent brain damage. Here's what can happen when a per • your child/children on the conse quences of underage drinking, the bet son drinks too much alcohol too fast: ter. It will give them the power to stay above the influence! Choking: The victim chokes on his Have a safe and happy holiday season! or her own vomit. w breathing becomes irregular and slows to a stop. Heartbeat stops: The victim's heart beat becomes irregular or stops. Hypothermia: The victim’s body temperature decreases, leading to cardiac arrest. Hypoglycemia: The victim’s blood sugar level plummets and causes seizures. Binge Drinking Linked to 4,000 Deaths Annually Binge drinking, defined as drink ing too much alcohol too fast, has been linked to as many as 4,000 deaths ev ery year from alcohol overdose. Until recently, deaths by alcohol poisoning were largely unreported in the media. Now that college campuses are required by law to publish all student deaths, people are learning more about the tragic effects of binge drinking. Around the country, reports from victims’ families and county medical examiners confirm that alcohol can be a lethal drug. And it’s particularly true for teen-agers. Of the first eight cases ever re ported as alcohol poisoning, half were 16 years old or younger. At least half were first-time drinkers and had never been drunk before. Five of them were put to bed by friends or their own par ents to “sleep it off,” only to be found dead in the morning. Tragically, what these friends and parents didn't know is that if a person drinks too much alcohol too quickly before falling asleep, the alcohol will shut down breathing and heart func- December 2007 Breathing stops: The victim's Here are the critical warning signs of alcohol poisoning: • • • • • • • Mental confusion: The victim is in a stupor, a coma or cannot be roused. No response: The victim does not respond or cannot feel pinching of his/her skin. Vomiting while sleeping Seizures Slow breathing: Breathing is less than eight breaths per minute. Irregular breathing: There are 10 or more seconds between breaths. Hypothermia: Low body temperature: victim is pale or has bluish skin color. If you suspect that someone may have ingested a fatal dose of alcohol, call for emergency medical help immediately: Narcotics Anonymous Meetings Monday - 7:30-8:30 p.m. Atonement Lutheran Church 2315 N Coast Highway (101), Newport Tuesday - 7:30-8:30 p.m. TLC - A&D Building 565 Old River Road. Siletz Tuesday - 8-9 p.m. St. Peter the Fisherman Lutheran Church 1226 SW 13,h St., Lincoln City Thursday - 8-9 p.m. St. Peter the Fisherman Lutheran Church 1226 SW 13,h St., Lincoln City Friday - 7:30-8:30 p.m. Atonement Lutheran Church 2315 N Coast Highway (101). Newport Saturday - 6-7 p.m. Siletz VFW 143 SE Eggbert St., Siletz Toll-Free Help Line 1-877-233-4287
