When we become parents we assume a great responsibility: the care and well-being of our children. Our duty and obligation is to protect and see for them, making sure there is nothing around them that could threaten their safety and their physical and mental well-being.
Part of this responsibility is to make decisions thinking of them as a priority and one of them includes making changes in our lifestyle to protect them. That's why we were very surprised by the news of two children who were recently admitted to a hospital for accidentally using cocaine. How did this happen?
The news
According to information published in El País, two children, aged five and seven, were admitted to the Josep Trueta hospital in Girona for cocaine poisoning since last Sunday. This thanks to the owner of a bar in Cassà de la Selva who already knew the family, He noticed that the children, who were in the place with their mother, were acting strangely, so he decided to call the emergency phone.
After an ambulance arrived and they were taken to the hospital, the children were tested and it was when the presence of cocaine in their blood was discovered. The good news is that consumption by children was mild and they were not in danger because of this. After remaining under observation for 36 hours until the drug was completely expelled from their body, the children were discharged.
For its part, the mother, who is a habitual consumer of the substance and had left it within reach of children at home, was arrested by the Mossos d'Esquadra as the alleged author of a crime related to family rights and duties, but already You are free while waiting for the court decision. Meanwhile, the minors have been in the custody of a grandmother.
How it can affect children
Intoxication of some illegal drug can be very serious for children, causing them to manifest different symptoms, from vomiting and dizziness to delusions or loss of consciousness. Its consumption increases the risk of heart attack, stroke or respiratory failure, any of which can result in sudden death.
In the specific case of cocaine, according to one study, some of the effects that may occur in children who consume or are exposed to it may be epileptic seizures, obnubilation (decreased level of consciousness, is characterized by the existence of confusion, clumsiness of movements, psychic slowness and decreased attention and perception), delusions, dizziness or ataxia (decrease in movement capacity).
Another study carried out in Barcelona indicates that in cases of acute drug abuse intoxication in children this is often the first evidence of a chronic repeated exposure.
Since the mother of the children admitted to being a regular consumer of cocaine, it is even possible that they have been exposed to it on other occasions, however we cannot know for sure if this incident is the first and only one in which the children have been exposed to the drug But what we can talk about is the responsibility we have as parents or when we have minors under our responsibility.
Zero drugs when we have minors in charge
Whether it's parents, grandparents, uncles, teachers or babysitters, nobody should use drugs when they have children in charge. When we have someone else's life or health in our hands we cannot give space or opportunity for our bodies and our brains not to function properly or to prevent us from making decisions consciously.
We have to remember something and keep it in mind: children follow our example. Even if minors do not look firsthand when someone is ingesting a drug, they will notice some strange behavior, and grow in that kind of environment. may impact your emotional and psychological health in the future.
Personally, I consider that this case should not be taken as an "accident", because although the mother did not give them the drug in her hand, the fact of having left it within her reach is negligence on her part.
Let us be responsible parents and relatives, when we have children or minors in our care we stop being just ourselves and now we must also see for them. Children should grow up in a safe environment and if for some reason this is not possible, it is important seek help to prevent situations that damage your physical and emotional integrity from happening.
