Mother warns about the dangers of “huffing”

Your teenager may be putting their life at risk. It’s known as “huffing,” smelling household aerosols to get high. It’s been a trend among teens and some adults for some time.

“No mother should have this as the last picture of their children,” says Danielle Wellard, who lost her son to the addiction in 2004.

Danielle describes her son, Daniel, as an ordinary teenage boy.

“He was into bikes, he loved sledding and camping. He loved music of all sorts. His dream was to be a rock star.”

He was with his friends huffing air fresheners.

“Daniel collapsed, and his friends being 13, 14 and 15 did CPR best they could, but one of the boys ran and got his father, called an ambulance.”

But it was too late. Daniel died at the young age of 16. Now, his mother wants to warn others.

“My son died, many kids end up in a vegetative state. Many of them end up with learning disabilities afterward. Many of them could stay in a coma.”

“When we talk about things of the central nervous system this can range from brain injury, it can range to heart problems, in some cases there can be strokes, you can become brain dead. Your heart can get into an arrhythmic state that is unsustainable of life,” says Dr. Gary Ullery, DO.

There are behavioral signs to look for.

“There’s going to be a personality change. You can notice your child has been acting different. They will go from a euphoric state to kind of a depressed state,” says Dr. Ullery.

Danielle has a message for those who are doing this.

“Stop, stop, that’s the most important thing. Go get help.”

Daniel would have turned 30 on the 27th of this month.

If you or anyone you know have an addiction to huffing, talk to a doctor or a counselor.