Most of us know a friend, co-worker or relative who passed out at a holiday party. Never assume they are not in danger, especially if it is a teenager, according to the Science Inside Alcohol Project of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Many teens don’t know their capacity for alcohol, specialists say, and that can put them at risk for alcohol poisoning. Nearly one million high school students nationwide binge drink, which means consuming four to five drinks in a two-hour period, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Binge drinking can lead to alcohol poisoning.
Even though you may think someone who is drunk is “sleeping it off,” alcohol levels in the blood can continue to rise. This can affect the gag reflex which if impaired, can cause a person to choke on vomit or accidentally inhale it into the lungs. While deaths from alcohol poisoning remain more common among people ages 35 to 54, they do occur in adolescents, with devastating emotional consequences for families.
Signs of alcohol poisoning include:
– Slow breathing, or less than eight breaths a minute
– Irregular breathing, or a gap of more than 10 seconds between breaths
– Blue-tinged skin or pale skin
– Confusion or stupor
– Low body temperature, also called hypothermia
– Unconscious and can’t be awakened.
If you suspect someone has alcohol poisoning, call 911 immediately. If someone who was binge drinking is conscious but confused call poison control. Never leave an unconscious person alone.
Treatment for alcohol poisoning consists of providing breathing support, intravenous fluids and vitamins until the alcohol is completely out of the body. Alcohol poisoning may lead to irreversible brain damage.
Source: AAAS