Abuse of substances ranging from alcohol and marijuana to meth and heroin is a problem not only for adults, but also for children as young as 12 years old, and in rare cases even younger. To keep your children safe, it's important to keep track of possible changes in your child's life or behaviors that may signal substance abuse. However, keep in mind that appearance of these signs does not automatically mean your child is using drugs, so open communication is important.
Smells
If you notice a peculiar smell of smoke in your child's room or on his clothing, this can be a sign of drug use, especially marijuana which has a distinct smell. You don't have to know exactly what the drug smells like, just that a unique smoky smell is present in your child's room or on his clothing. Underage alcohol abuse can also be noticeable by smelling your child's clothes or breath.
Missing Prescriptions
Prescription drugs are the second most used substance of abuse for children and teenagers behind marijuana, states the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. This is largely due to the relative availability of prescriptions in household medicine cabinets. If you start to suspect that some of your prescription medications are disappearing, especially opiate pain-killers such as Oxycontin, your child may have a substance abuse problem.
School Work and Attendance
Drug abuse may also cause changes in your child's behavior, especially regarding her school attendance and work level. If you are regularly getting notices of absences from your child's school that were not authorized by you, or if your child's grades begin to dramatically fall, this can be a possible sign of drug involvement or abuse.
Change in Friends
The friends your child chooses to spend time with can have a large impact on whether or not he will end up trying or becoming addicted to alcohol or drugs. If you have a bad feeling regarding the new friends with whom your child is hanging around, or if his friends have a known history of drug use, be more vigilant in knowing where your child is going, what he will be doing and when he will be home.
Physical Appearance
Although changes in appearance are typical for children as they grow up, dramatic changes in how they take care of their appearance, such as a lack of bathing, brushing their teeth or wearing clean clothing, can signal a possible problem with substance abuse.
Missing Household Items and Money
Because most kids do not have jobs, household goods may be traded or pawned for money, or money may be stolen out of your wallet or purse to purchase drugs. If you suspect that these items are missing, talk to your child openly about it.
