NCJ Number
238306
Journal
Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 36 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2012 Pages: 81-83
Date Published
February 2012
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article examines the problem of infants with an altered state of consciousness resulting from the passive inhalation of cannabis smoke.
Abstract
The article presents a case study of a previously healthy 13-month old male infant who was brought to the emergency department due to apathy, unresponsiveness, loss of appetite, and mild fever. A physical exam of the child found nothing abnormal that would cause the infants symptoms. A toxicology screening however, revealed the presence of THC, the active ingredient in cannabis. The parents of the child admitted to having smoked cannabis for an extended period of time in their residence while the infant was sleeping. This led to the infant being passively exposed to cannabis for several hours. The infant was subsequently hospitalized and showed marked improvement after only a few hours. The article discusses the clinical effects of inhaling THC and the lack of clinical data detailing the effect of THC inhalation on children and infants. The authors note that health care professionals, especially pediatricians, should be more aware of the clinical manifestations of cannabis intoxication. References