KCI The Anti_Meth Site

Effects of meth around small children, esp. skin problems?

Southern Ladybug	Effects of meth around small children I need any information available concerning the effects of meth use around small children, especially skin problems. My 20 month old granddaughter was exposed, twice during pregnancy(admitted-could have been more), during breastfeeding and after. She has been placed with us for several months now, but when she visits with her mother, who is still using, she seems to have problems. It seems to be irritated where her mother touches her, where the child rubs her cheeks against her hair, etc. She is breaking out in what at first resembles chickenpox, but isn't. The doctor has treated her with a strong antibiotic, which had zero effect. They have started itching and when she scratches, it forms a sore. It looks like all the pics I've seem on some meth users. She had similar "breakouts this past summer and fall, but we were told mosquito bites, etc. How long does it take for meth to work out through the skin? Has anyone else seen/had this problem? Other problems(loss of appetite, sleep problems, runny nose, agitation) seem to disappear after about 48 hrs. This seems to take longer to appear & disappear. Is there anything we can do to help this? The caseworker is having a hard time getting the doctor to put anything in writing and has told us to take her to the ER for testing the next time we see problems after a visit. But it is so wrong to have to expose her time and again before we can get any help! We've already been told that the long term effects are unknown on children. I just need help!
Replies...
soso confused	Re: Effects of meth around small children I don't have an answer, but it there any chance your daughter is passing staph infection to your granddaughter? I would think that the doctor would be able to culture that and figure that one out. My husband is a user and he gets big ugly sores from time to time. He isn't a picker and they don't appear like meth bugs all over like some pictures you see. Instead they appear slowly and he always wants to say they are spider bites. Yeah, sure. I believe it is meth excreting through the skin and causing legions. In your granddaughter's case, I can't imagine that she would still be having problems associated with her mother's drug use during the pregnancy. I am not a medical person though. Are you being totally honest with her pediatrician? I wish you and the baby good luck.
Penel0pe	Re: Effects of meth around small children Has the doctor cultured any of the wounds? I would ask the pediatrician to do that - could be MRSA - drug resistant staph, could be something else entirely. A wound culture would tell the doctor exactly what bacteria is infecting the wounds, and then a "Sensitivity test" will tell which antibiotic will be the best treatment. Ask for a "wound culture" from the doctor - that's what I would do. If it is MRSA, then certain antibiotics will work better than the more commonly used ones.
So much guilt	Re: Effects of meth around small children *Quote:* Other problems (loss of appetite, sleep prolbems, runny nose, agitation) Seem to disappear after 48 hours This is serious and really concerns me. If these are the symptoms you are seeing in your 20 month old grandaughter after she's with her mother, you need to take her in and get tested for drugs in her system. In my opinion she's being exposed and probably is getting meth into her. If the user is smoking it around the children, that is 2nd hand smoke just like cigarettes and can easily get into another's system. Or any other means of use. Contact could be made from the meth being on the user hands, skin, etc. This really upsets me and you need to take action. Think of the children. Meth is so ugly and it will destroy everyone and everything around the addict. My 22 year old son took his life last August. Please visit his memorial website, light a candle, read his story. May Austin's story give you and others the strength to fight this addiction. www.austin-hesse.last-memories.com And please continue to educate yourself and continue to come here. Think of your grandaughter, she doesn't have any choice right now, but you have to protect her. You will be in my prayers. God Bless You!
mojo8888	Re: Effects of meth around small children Quote: ----------------------------------------------------------- Other problems (loss of appetite, sleep problems, runny nose, agitation) Seem to disappear after 48 hours ----------------------------------------------------------- Iit looks like there is active use going on in the home. Do you think someone in the house is a cook also?
JUSTCATS	Re: Effects of meth around small children My opinion is that your daughter is carrying meth residue on her body and clothes and it is transfering over to your grandbaby. Skin to skin contact is probaby making her break out too. I had a friend~(T) who had a niece~ (J) that lived a few doors down. J was a meth user. Whenever T would go over to J's she would come back jittery... J finally got turned into child protective services and was going to lose custody of her kids, so her aunt was going to take them. Child protective services made the aunt take a drug test, which came up postive for meth. There is NO WAY that T was using meth. She was a middle aged lady, christian lady that didn't even smoke... She did tell me that whenever she went over to J's she would come back jittery... I found an article, which of course, I cannot find now that talks about second hand contact. If the mother is still smoking meth or around a lab... she may be carrying residue on her clothes or skin that is transferring over to your grandbaby. I do have several articles that I saved regarding child that have been directly around meth contact that I could send to you. I will keep looking for the other one~hopefully I didn't delete it. You may want to have your grandbaby tested, right after the mother leaves to see if she is being infected with meth residue... There are reasons that houses/ apartments... that meth was used or made are decontaminated when the meth users are gone. The residue sticks to everything...