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Would You Know If Your Child Was "Huffing"?

© Gina Dronenburg

"Huffing": the inhaling, sniffing, or snorting of common household substances.

This new epidemic is attacking our children and killing many of them! It's done secretly, quietly, and inconspicuously. How, you ask? When you aren't looking! How can you be with them 24 hours a day you ask? You can't, but you can start at an early age educating them as to which household substances can make them sick and even kill them if they are "smelled" or "inhaled."

The best way to start educating your child is to start during their toddler years. When you spray the cooking spray in the kitchen, teach them to do it "away" from their faces or where it cannot be breathed. As well, some children may smell their foods or have to smell "everything." When you see this happening, explain to them that it is o.k. to smell their food, but other items such as room fresheners, fingernail polish remover, fingernail polish, perfumes, and deodorants (just to name a few) should never be "smelled" by putting these things up to the nose. Let them know that it could "kill" them. (Don't be afraid to say this bluntly, and that they would never see Mom or Dad ever again if this happened.)

There are over 1,000 products that can be harmful or even fatal to our children. Following are just a few to be on the lookout for:

In The Kitchen:

Any kinds of cooking sprays, disinfectants, bottles of floor cleaner, window cleaner, oven sprays, bug sprays, furniture wax or polish, whipped cream sprays that you keep in the fridge, pet "insect" sprays, butane, etc.

In The Bathroom:

Any kinds of perfumes, deodorants, hairsprays or spritz, air fresheners (whether they plug in, are sprayed, or fit in the toilet roll). Toilet bowl and bathtub cleaners whether liquid or sprays, etc.

At Your Desk Area:

Felt-tip markers, typewriter or pen correction fluids, bottles of spray that you clean a computer keyboard with, model paints, etc.

In The Bedroom:

Again, any kinds of perfumes, hairsprays, body deodorant sprays, air fresheners, etc.

In The Laundry Area: Any kinds of fabric protectors, bleaches, anti-cling sprays for the dryer etc.

In The Garage/Shed/Workshop:

Any kinds of aerosols that are pressurized, spray paints, adhesives or glues, butane, propane, gasoline, regular paint cans, paint thinnner, stain, rust removers, car cleaners and solutions, freon or refrigerants, etc.

Now, I'm going to let you in on one of the "secrets" that many children are putting into practice on a daily basis and getting away with.

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