Issue link: https://fredparent.uberflip.com/i/1123474
www.FredericksburgParent.NET 25 Sponsored Material Join us for the live conversation on Do you have questions for RACSB? Be sure to watch our Facebook Live interview this month! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for information and updates. Facebook: @fredericksburgparent • Twitter: @FredParent • Instagram: @fredparentmagazine a sk t h e e x p e rt Q: How can we as parents make sure our children's experiences with prescription medications don't cause them harm? Woodard: A high school athlete who has a major athletic injury is highly likely to be pre- scribed an opiate for pain, but parents should know that there are alternatives. It's also important to read labels with a critical eye. A bottle of pain pills typically reads, "Take two pills every 4-6 hours, as needed for pain." That doesn't mean you automatically dispense two pills every four hours. Talk to your child. Assess their pain. See if you can push past that 4-6-hour window before giving out more pills. Wagaman: As parents, we don't want our kids to hurt. We want to make it better and take away their pain, but we can teach them the life skill of properly and safely using medications if we help manage their expectations. We can tell them, "This is going to hurt, we are going to give you something to make it hurt less, but we can't make it go away magically." Building some of those expectations up front is important, as is edu- cating yourself and having a conversation with your physician or pediatrician. You can say, "I am not comfortable with this medication. What are some alternatives?" Be sure to communicate with your medical provider–whether that's an orthopedic or dentist or family practitioner–if there is a family history of addiction. Q: What is the best way to manage and store the medications in our homes? Woodard: You can invest as little as $25 to get a medicine-safe lock box. That may very well save a child's life. All prescription medications, cough syrup—anything that could be harmful if abused—should be locked up. Wagaman: This is important for grandparents, too, as we tend to take more prescrip- tion medications as we get older. In addition to locking your medications, it's important to count and track them, so that you'll know if something is being used in an unau- thorized way. You can download a medicine tracker at bit.ly/trackmeds. Q: What warning sights can help parents spot a substance abuse problem? Wagaman: Important warning signs to look for include: It's normal for adolescents to change interests, but the concern is if they drop an inter- est and don't replace it with anything. That can be a sign that something is wrong. Woodard: I think too many parents say, "I have to respect their privacy." If they live in your house, we still have to have their future in mind. Knowing what is in their rooms, their cars and scanning their phones for unrecognized numbers or code names for drugs—these aren't things we should be afraid to do as parents. Know what is nor- mal behavior for your child. If there is a dramatic change in a quick period of time, there's a problem. It may not be ,drugs; it may be something else. Parents have to be involved. They can't sit back and wait until it happens. Q: What's the best way to dispose of old medications? Wagaman: It's important not to flush them or throw them in the trash. And don't keep unused, expired or old medications in your home. The Rappahannock Health District and RACSB provide medication dis- posal kits, and there are also a number of safe disposal options around the Fredericksburg region. Woodard: Law enforcement offices throughout our region have established medication collection bins that are available for safe disposal of medicine, with no questions asked. Find the one nearest to you: · Isolation · Change in sleep patterns · Random outbursts · Self-harm behaviors Fredericksburg Police Department 2200 Cowan Blvd., Fredericksburg, VA 22401 Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office 9119 Dean Ridings Lane, Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA 22553 Stafford County Sheriff's Office 1225 Courthouse Rd., Stafford VA 22554 King George Sheriff's Office 10445 Government Center Blvd., King George, VA 22485 Caroline County CVS Pharmacy at Ladysmith 8048 Jefferson Davis Highway, Ladysmith, VA 22546 Town of Orange Police Department 249 Blue Ridge Drive, Orange, VA 22960 Walgreens Pharmacy 50 White Oak Rd, Stafford, VA 22405 Walgreens Pharmacy 10600 Rollingwood Drive, Fredericksburg, VA 22407 · Red glossy and dilated eyes (for marijuana) · Decrease of engagement in school or other activities · Change of behaviors or social groups · Not dressing appropriately for the weather