Pubdate: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 Source: Daily Times, The (TN) Copyright: 2006 Horvitz Newspapers Contact: http://www.thedailytimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1455 Author: Jessica Stith Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) METH HITS HOME Innocent children are being burned and blistered by chemicals in the carpets they crawl on, the clothes they wear and the toys they play with. They are being taken away from their families to get them out of the methamphetamine labs being run in their homes. Meth is destroying families. It is straining the resources of Tennessee's medical and dental organizations. According to The Journal of the American Medical Association, trauma patients who use meth are likely to incur medical costs $4,000 higher than the general population. Dr. David Lynn, emergency room physician at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, said the most important point he can emphasize is that meth usage "is more common than we realize." Lynn said most patients who use meth -- people likely to generate much higher medical bills -- generally do not have medical insurance. Lynn said meth users incur greater hospital costs because the drug debilitates the body. "There is muscle loss; people are frail and in pretty poor shape when they come in to us," Lynn said. "It is more difficult for them to recover, and it takes more time for them to recover." Another big concern of Lynn's: the children. When hospital personnel believe a child has been exposed to a meth lab or is neglected by parents who use meth, there are specific steps the hospital staff must take to determine the health status of the child. Children living in a home where meth is produced are exposed to a multitude of hazardous chemicals. Lynn said those children usually have an odor on their clothing from the chemicals and abnormally high blood pressure, usually resulting from the pseudoephedrine used to make meth. Medical personnel look for respiratory problems in these children and perform blood tests to make sure the liver and kidneys are healthy because the chemicals affect those areas. Lynn said another common find on children exposed to home meth labs are blisters from the chemicals. In a survey polling 500 sheriff's offices in 45 states, the National Association of Counties found that 40 percent of child welfare officials surveyed reported methamphetamine has led to an increase in the number of children removed from their homes. Trudy Hughes, director of the Blount County Children Advocacy Center, said the center assists in cases where children are involved in meth-related incidents. Hughes said she most commonly sees neglect issues with children involved in these incidents. Basic health and personal care, as well as nutritional, emotional and social needs, are neglected. "Parents or family members that are addicted to meth only care about supporting their own addiction," Hughes said. "Unfortunately, the focus isn't anywhere on raising their children -- they are focusing on the drug." The Children Advocacy Center assists in many ways during meth-related incidents that involve children, Hughes said. The center helps the children get everything they need while they transition from their home to the Department of Children's Services. "If they've had to leave all of their toys and all of their clothing in a home due to meth exposure, we help to make sure they get those things," Hughes said. It sometimes takes several hours after children are taken from their homes for the Department of Children's Services to find a place for them to go. Hughes said the advocacy center is designed to be child-friendly and to be homelike for the transition period. "They get comfortable knowing the staff and share what they have seen and what they have been exposed to so we as a team can meet their needs." The advocacy center helps in long-term situations by providing therapy and counseling for children and their families who have been in meth-related situations. The center is also equipped to handle non-emergency related injuries and perform medical exams to determine if a child has been sexually abused. In 2005, Gov. Phil Bredesen and the Tennessee General Assembly allocated $500,000 for child advocacy centers to support expanded services to drug-exposed children. Hughes said the number of children they receive is too low to be eligible for the funding, but if there is an increased need in Blount County, they will be able to reapply for the money. The hope of child-care advocates across Tennessee is that the need for the money dries up soon -- that every home, every toy, every child be free from the scourge of methamphetamine. If you have any information on meth activity, contact: Mike Flynn, Blount County District Attorney General, 942 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37804. Phone number is (865) 273-5600. Email address is Or call the Fifth Judicial Drug Task Force, phone number: (865) 977-7190 or (865) 977-7266 - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman