Robo-tripping: Is my child abusing cough medicine?

Cough medicine abuse, sometimes called robo-tripping, has recently become a serious problem. Children and teenagers take extremely large doses of cough medicine, either in pill or syrup form, to get high from dextromethorphan (DXM), a medicine that relieves coughs from colds or the flu.

When robo-tripping, however, children may use 25 to 50 times the recommended dose of cough medicine to get enough DXM to make them high. In some cases, taking that much cough medicine can be fatal. The effects of robo-tripping may include:

• Confusion or hallucinations
• Dizziness
• Blurred or double vision
• Slurred speech
• Loss of coordination
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Rapid heartbeat
• Drowsiness
• Numbness of fingers and toes

These side effects may be worse if they take cough medicine with other medications or alcohol. If you're concerned about your child, there are signs you can look for that may indicate cough medicine abuse. They include:

• Empty or missing bottles or packages of cough medicine
• Unusual medicinal smells on your child
• Suspicious packages mailed to your child
• Visits to Web sites promoting drug abuse
• Changes in physical appearance
• Changes in eating and sleeping habits
• Loss of interest in hobbies or favorite activities

Regardless of whether you suspect your children are abusing cough medicine, you should talk to them about the dangers of drug abuse, including the abuse of over-the-counter and prescription medications. You may be able to prevent the problem in the first place by talking with your children early and frankly. If you suspect a problem, discuss your concerns with your child. You may want to also involve other family members, a counselor or your child's doctor in the discussion.