The issue of cannabis exposure in young children is a growing problem. With legalization it is much more available, and the numbers are growing by the year.
Marijuana edibles look exactly like candy, cookies or brownies and look really tasty to a child who has no way of knowing if it contains an illicit substance, or if it just comes from the shopping aisle at your local supermarket.
Often it takes somewhere between 30 minutes to two hours for the substance to hit a young child’s system and have substantial effects.
Signs your child may have eaten edibles
Initial Effects:
- Awkward speech
- Dizziness or being off balance
After an hour or two you may see:
- Sleepiness
- Vomiting
- Falling down and acting strangely
- Loss of consciousness
If you have these products in your household, they should be locked up and kept somewhere that children cannot get to them.
If your child does ingest an edible of any type - chocolate, or gummy - that contains cannabis or any type of illicit substance, then bring them directly to Stony Brook Children's. From here we'll take the best care of your child we possibly can.
Carl Kaplan, MD is a Pediatric Emergency Medicine Specialist in Stony Brook University Hospital.
Stony Brook University Hospital is the only ACS-verified Level I Adult and Pediatric Trauma Center in Suffolk County. This is the highest-level trauma designation by the New York State Department of Health.
Stony Brook Children's Hospital