Question

A 13-year-old girl presents to the hospital complaining of a headache. The patient reports a history of an increasing frequency of headaches over the past year. She often complaints of a headache and refuses to go to school. She also failed her last semester of school. Physical examination reveals cracked, dry perioral skin with sores on the lips, and stains of ink on her fingernail beds. Heart rate is 70 beats/min, and blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg. Which of the following statements is correct regarding the administration of inhalants?

A. Breathing through a rag soaked in inhalant is known as bagging
B. Directly inhaling the substance through nostrils or the mouth is known as chroming
C. Inhaling spray paint is known as huffing
D. Breathing through a rag soaked in inhalant is known as chroming
E. Directly inhaling the substance through the nostrils is known as sniffing

Answer 1

The correct term associated with the administration of inhalants involving soaking a cloth and then breathing through it is 'huffing.' Other methods of inhalant use include 'bagging,' 'chroming,' and 'sniffing,' each with distinct characteristics.

Step-by-step explanation:

The administration of inhalants can involve various methods, and it's crucial to understand the correct terminology associated with each method. The correct statement regarding the administration of inhalants, in this case, is that breathing through a rag soaked in inhalant is known as huffing. This method involves soaking a cloth with an inhalant and then placing it over the mouth or nose to breathe in the fumes. The terms bagging, huffing, chroming, and sniffing all refer to different methods of inhalant use:

• Bagging refers to the inhalation of vapours from substances inside a paper or plastic bag.
• Huffing, as mentioned earlier, is associated with inhaling through a cloth soaked in a substance.
• Chroming involves inhaling solvents or gases, particularly those from spray paints, to achieve a high.
• Sniffing is directly inhaling substances through the nose or mouth without using a bag or cloth.

Given the symptoms and physical findings presented, the girl's cracked, dry perioral skin with sores on the lips, and ink stains on her fingernail beds, suggest that she may be involved in the practice of inhaling substances, potentially through a method like huffing.