If your child is hard to wake, struggling to breathe, having a seizure, or may have overdosed, emergency help may be needed right away. Get clear guidance on urgent warning signs and what to do next.
About this assessment
Answer a few questions about responsiveness, breathing, and possible substance use to get personalized guidance on whether this looks like a 911 emergency.
Parents often search things like when to call 911 for teen alcohol poisoning, when to call 911 for a vaping emergency, or when to call 911 for suspected overdose in a teenager because the situation feels unclear and urgent. In general, call 911 immediately if your child is unresponsive, passed out and cannot be awakened, having trouble breathing, breathing very slowly, turning blue or gray, having a seizure, collapsing, or showing signs of a possible overdose. If you are unsure and your child seems seriously impaired, it is safer to treat it as an emergency.
Call 911 if your child is unresponsive, cannot be woken up, or passes out after drinking, vaping, or using drugs. This is especially important if you searched when to call 911 for a child unresponsive after drinking or when to call 911 for a teen passed out from alcohol.
Call 911 if your child is having trouble breathing after vaping, breathing very slowly, gasping, making choking sounds, or their lips or skin look blue, pale, or gray. Breathing changes can signal a serious vaping emergency, alcohol poisoning, or overdose.
Call 911 if your child has a seizure from drugs or alcohol, collapses, cannot stand, is extremely confused, is not making sense, or cannot stay awake. These can be signs that the brain and body are under dangerous stress.
Repeated vomiting, slow breathing, cold or clammy skin, inability to wake up, and confusion can all point to alcohol poisoning. If symptoms are severe or your child is difficult to rouse, call 911.
If you think your child took too much of a prescription medication, edible, pill, powder, or unknown substance, call 911 right away if they are hard to wake, acting strangely, seizing, or having breathing problems.
Chest tightness, severe coughing, wheezing, trouble breathing, fainting, or sudden confusion after vaping should be treated seriously. If symptoms are intense or worsening, call 911.
If you call 911, stay with your child. If they are unconscious but breathing, place them on their side if you can do so safely. If they stop breathing and you know CPR, begin CPR. Do not leave them alone to “sleep it off.” If possible, gather information about what they took, how much, and when. If there is a container, vape device, pill bottle, or packaging nearby, keep it available for emergency responders.
A child who is awake and responding normally is different from one who is very sleepy, confused, or impossible to wake. Changes in responsiveness are one of the most important warning signs.
Fast, slow, shallow, noisy, or labored breathing can all signal danger. Any breathing difficulty after vaping, alcohol, or drug use deserves immediate attention.
Alcohol, nicotine, THC, opioids, stimulants, and unknown pills can cause different symptoms, but severe sleepiness, seizures, and breathing problems are emergency red flags across all of them.
Call 911 if your teen is hard to wake, passed out, vomiting repeatedly, breathing slowly or irregularly, having a seizure, or showing blue, pale, or gray skin or lips. These can be signs of alcohol poisoning and need emergency care.
Call 911 right away if your child is struggling to breathe, wheezing severely, gasping, turning blue, fainting, or becoming confused after vaping. Breathing problems after vaping can become serious quickly.
Yes. If your child may have taken an unknown substance and is unresponsive, very sleepy, confused, having a seizure, or having trouble breathing, call 911. You do not need to know exactly what they took to get emergency help.
Call 911 if they cannot be awakened, are breathing abnormally, vomit while unconscious, or seem dangerously impaired. A teen who is passed out from alcohol can worsen quickly, even if they are still breathing.
Yes. If your child is confused, not making sense, cannot stay awake, is acting very differently than usual, or seems disconnected from what is happening, call 911 if symptoms are severe or rapidly worsening, especially if substance use is suspected.
Personalized assessment
Answer a few questions about your child’s responsiveness and symptoms to get a focused assessment and personalized guidance on whether this may require 911 or other immediate next steps.