Too much barbiturate is neurotoxic? Poison experts warn: It may affect children's brain development and impair intelligence
Recently, it was reported that a teacher in a kindergarten in New Taipei City fed unknown drugs to children in the kindergarten. Relevant authorities confirmed that the drug contained controlled substances such as “Barbiturates” and “Benzodiazepines” Element. As soon as the news came out, it aroused widespread concern in the society, and relevant units are also investigating the ways in which the teacher obtained controlled substances.
The Ministry of Justice has classified it as a “Level 3 drug”! Experts reveal 4 major clinical uses of “barbiturates”
The New Taipei City Health Bureau announced the blood tests of 8 young children on June 11. Among them, 75% of the children1 tested 1.0-1.5 micrograms/ml, which can be regarded as “zero detection”, and 1 ranked between 1.5-2.0 Micrograms/ml, the 1st position falls in the highest range of 3.0-3.5 micrograms/ml. Professor Zhao Mingwei, associate professor of the Department of Biotechnology of Chung Yuan University, told the community that the barbiturate concentration in the urine of one of the children was as high as 64 micrograms/ml, which is higher than the highest concentration of drugs used to treat epilepsy (40 micrograms/ml) is much higher.
Professor Zhao Mingwei pointed out that considering the relatively small body size of children, high concentrations of barbiturate residues may have serious effects on their health, especially their developing brains. Barbiturates may cause “neurotoxicity” in developing children, leading to poor brain development and impaired intelligence. Even if children do have insomnia, new and safer drugs are now available, and barbiturates, which are considered “old drugs” and are highly addictive, are rarely used in clinical practice.
Professor Zhao Mingwei explained that barbiturates are controlled anesthetics and are clinically used to treat severe epilepsy, insomnia, intracranial hypertension, pre-anesthetic sedation and induction of anesthesia. However, overdose of this drug may lead to serious consequences such as respiratory arrest; and barbiturates are addictive and have been classified as “Third-level controlled drugs” and “Third-level narcotics” by Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice.
Might overdose affect fetal development and lead to addiction? 4 major side effects of barbiturates
Many parents of the patients are worried about whether overdose of barbiturates will have side effects. According to the guidelines of the American medical organization “Cleveland Clinic”, barbiturates generally have the following four side effects:
Highly addictive. As the body gets used to the original dose of barbiturates, more doses will be needed to relieve symptoms. In addition, if you do not take this drug for a long time, withdrawal symptoms such as agitation or nervousness, hand tremors, confusion, severe epilepsy, etc. may occur.
Reduce heart rate or blood pressure. Taking barbiturates may cause a sudden drop in heart rate or blood pressure, and may even cause breathing interruption in overdose.
Can easily lead to interactions. Barbiturates affect the liver, causing it to process certain other drugs too quickly. When patients take barbiturates with other drugs, the effectiveness of the other drugs may be reduced.
Disrupt fetal development. Pregnant women should avoid taking barbiturates. Prevent the fetus from being affected by drugs after birth.
Are the symptoms of barbiturate overdose similar to alcoholism? Seek medical attention immediately if your child develops “12 conditions”
“Cleveland Clinic” also pointed out that if any relatives, friends or children around you develop symptoms similar to the following “alcohol poisoning” after taking an overdose of barbiturates, they should seek medical treatment immediately:
Difficulty breathing.
Confusion or difficulty in thinking.
Dizziness or fainting.
Bradycardia.
The pulse speeds up and becomes weak.
Feeling dizzy.
Nausea and vomiting.
Hypothermia.
Muscle weakness.
Abnormal thirst.
Blue lips or fingernails (cyanosis).
Eyes that are inattentive or move rapidly, or pupils that are unusually small or large.
Finally, Professor Zhao Mingwei said that the dosage of barbiturates must be “very precise” and it is unlikely that ordinary people can add this drug so accurately. The drug-feeding incident in New Taipei City has also raised doubts about whether drugs were used in minute amounts to deceive others and achieve chronic poisoning in children. For such behavior, the relevant authorities should conduct an in-depth investigation to ensure that similar incidents do not happen again. In addition, regardless of whether the kindergarten students are “well-behaved” or “not well-behaved”, drugs such as barbiturates should not be present in children’s bodies. Even in “trace amounts” there is no guarantee whether they will affect the child’s development and growth in the future.
Further reading:
Barbiturates will not be prescribed for non-epilepsy patients! Pediatric neurologist: 3 types of withdrawal symptoms: seek medical attention immediately
