If you’re trying to figure out how to tell if your child is overdosing, start here. Learn the warning signs of drug, alcohol, and vaping overdose in adolescents and get clear next-step guidance based on what you’re seeing.
Use this quick assessment to sort through signs of overdose in teens, identify when symptoms may need emergency care, and get personalized guidance for what to do next.
Some overdose symptoms in kids and teens require emergency help right away. Call 911 now if your child is hard to wake, not breathing normally, has blue or gray lips, has a seizure, collapses, becomes unresponsive, or you believe they took a dangerous amount of a substance. If opioids may be involved, give naloxone if available while waiting for emergency responders. If you are unsure whether it is serious enough, it is safer to call.
Slow, shallow, irregular, or stopped breathing, unusual snoring or gurgling, fainting, extreme sleepiness, confusion, or being unable to wake them can all be signs of overdose in teens.
Blue lips, pale or clammy skin, vomiting, chest pain, severe dizziness, pinpoint pupils, very large pupils, shaking, or seizures may signal a dangerous reaction to drugs, alcohol, or nicotine.
Agitation, panic, hallucinations, sudden collapse, loss of coordination, or a rapid shift from talking normally to becoming hard to rouse can be overdose warning signs in a teenager.
Opioids often cause slowed breathing, tiny pupils, and unresponsiveness. Stimulants may cause chest pain, overheating, panic, or seizures. Sedatives can lead to extreme drowsiness and dangerously slowed breathing.
Watch for repeated vomiting, confusion, inability to stay awake, slow breathing, seizures, cold skin, and passing out. A teen who is asleep after heavy drinking may still be in danger.
Too much nicotine can cause nausea, vomiting, sweating, tremors, fast heartbeat, dizziness, and agitation. Severe symptoms can include trouble breathing, seizures, or collapse and need urgent care.
If your child is unresponsive, having trouble breathing, seizing, or getting worse quickly, call 911 immediately. Stay with them and follow dispatcher instructions.
If they are breathing but vomiting or very drowsy, turn them onto their side. Do not leave them alone, and do not assume they will sleep it off.
Tell responders what substance may be involved, when it was taken, and any symptoms you noticed. If you have the container, vape device, or medication bottle, keep it nearby for emergency staff.
Warning signs that go beyond typical intoxication include trouble breathing, being hard or impossible to wake, blue lips, seizures, collapse, or repeated vomiting with confusion. If you are asking yourself how to recognize an overdose in my child and these signs are present, call 911.
Call 911 for overdose any time your child is unresponsive, breathing slowly or irregularly, turning blue or gray, having a seizure, collapsing, or rapidly getting worse. If you suspect opioids, give naloxone if you have it, but still call emergency services.
Alcohol overdose warning signs in teens can include vomiting, confusion, inability to wake up, slow breathing, seizures, and cold or pale skin. A child who passes out after drinking should be monitored as a medical emergency, not left alone to sleep.
Yes. Vaping overdose symptoms in teens are often related to nicotine and can include nausea, vomiting, sweating, shakiness, dizziness, fast heartbeat, and agitation. Severe symptoms such as seizures, breathing problems, or collapse need immediate medical attention.
Answer a few questions for a focused assessment of the symptoms you’re seeing and get personalized guidance on whether your child may need emergency help right now.
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