If you’re trying to figure out what to do if your teen overdoses on opioids, how to use naloxone on a teenager, or how to get naloxone for your family, this page offers clear next steps and parent-focused guidance for overdose emergencies and prevention.
Tell us whether this may be an active emergency, a recent overdose, or a concern about future risk, and we’ll help you focus on the most relevant naloxone and overdose response steps for parents.
If you think your teen may be overdosing right now, call 911 immediately. Give naloxone if you have it, follow the product instructions, and stay with your teen until emergency help arrives. If they are not breathing normally, begin rescue breathing or CPR if you know how. Even if your teen wakes up after naloxone, emergency medical care is still important because the overdose can return after the medication wears off.
Trouble breathing is one of the most urgent signs of an opioid overdose. If your teen is hard to wake and breathing is weak or absent, use naloxone and call 911.
If your teen does not respond to shouting, touch, or a firm rub on the chest, treat it as a possible overdose emergency and act quickly.
These can be warning signs of low oxygen and opioid overdose. Naloxone for teen overdose emergencies should be given right away while emergency help is on the way.
Do not wait to see if your teen improves on their own. If naloxone is available, give the first dose right away and follow package directions.
Lay your teen on their side if they are breathing on their own but not fully alert. If breathing is weak or stopped, provide rescue breathing or CPR if trained.
If your teen does not respond in 2 to 3 minutes, a second dose of naloxone may be needed. Continue monitoring until emergency responders take over.
Store naloxone in a known, easy-to-access place at home and consider carrying it when appropriate. Make sure other caregivers know where it is.
Different naloxone products have different instructions. Review them ahead of time so you feel more confident if an emergency happens.
Parents, guardians, and older siblings can benefit from knowing the basic overdose response steps, including calling 911, giving naloxone, and staying with the teen.
Use the naloxone product exactly as directed on the package. In general, give naloxone right away if you suspect an opioid overdose, call 911, and stay with your teen. If there is no response after 2 to 3 minutes, a second dose may be needed. Emergency medical care is still necessary even if your teen wakes up.
If you see signs like unresponsiveness, slowed breathing, or blue lips, treat it as an emergency. Call 911, give naloxone if available, and monitor breathing closely. Naloxone will not reverse every kind of medical emergency, but when opioids may be involved, giving it quickly can save a life.
Naloxone may be available through pharmacies, community health programs, harm reduction organizations, or local public health resources, depending on your state. Some areas allow parents to obtain it without an individual prescription. Check local pharmacy policies and state guidance for the fastest option.
Naloxone is used when an opioid overdose is suspected and is generally considered a critical emergency response tool. In a possible overdose situation, the priority is to call 911 and give naloxone if opioids may be involved. Emergency responders can then evaluate what else may be happening.
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