EIGHT SIGNS YOUR CHILD IS ON DRUGS

QUESTION: I am suspicious that my 16-year-old son may be using some
kind of illegal drugs. He's just not himself lately, and his friends
are some of the weirdest guys you ever saw. Can you summarize the
most common symptoms of drug abuse? What should I look for?

DR. DOBSON: A complete answer to that question would fill a book,
because there are so many illegal substances on the market today and
each has its own characteristic "fingerprint." But there are eight
common physical and emotional symptoms you might look for in your son.

1. Inflammation of the eyelids and nose is common. The pupils of the
eyes are either very wide or very small, depending on the kind of drugs taken.

2. Extremes of energy may be evident. Either the individual is
sluggish, gloomy and withdrawn, or he may be loud, hysterical and jumpy.

3. The appetite is extreme -- either very great or very poor. Weight
loss may occur.

4. The personality suddenly changes; the individual may become
irritable, inattentive and confused, or aggressive, suspicious and explosive.

5. Body and breath odour are often bad. Cleanliness is generally ignored.

6. The digestive system may be upset -- diarrhea, nausea and vomiting
may occur. Headaches and double vision are also common.

Other signs of physical deterioration may include change in skin tone
and body stance.

7. Needle marks on the body, usually appearing on the arms, are an
important symptom.

These punctures sometimes get infected and appear as sores and boils.

8. Moral values often crumble and are replaced by new, avant-garde
ideas and values.

Let me caution you that some kids are able to hide their drug use
better than others. You might stop by to see the officer in charge of
narcotics enforcement for your local police department. He or she may
be able to give you more specific information applicable to your son.

QUESTION: What about snooping through my son's room to see what he
might be doing? Do you think parents should do that?

DR. DOBSON: There are definitely times when mothers and fathers need
to conduct their own quiet investigation, even though it might invade
the privacy of the teenager.

This issue was discussed widely in the media some years ago when
comedian Carol Burnett discovered her teenage daughter was a drug
user. When the problem finally came to light, Carol was regretful
that she hadn't taken steps to inform herself of what was going on.
She appeared on many talk shows to say, in effect, that kids
desperately need their parents to "catch them" in a moment like that.

Don't let your respect for their privacy cause you to stick your head
in the sand and fail to notice what is going on right in front of you.

In situations where a secretive boy or girl is doing suspicious
things, I would gather whatever information I needed in order to know
how to respond.

Dr. Dobson is founder and chairman of the board of the non-profit
organization Focus on the Family.