Sporty children's deadly cocktail - painkillers and energy drinks

CHILDREN as young as 10 are taking a potentially deadly cocktail of drugs
and high-caffeine drinks before sports matches in a dangerous bid to boost their
performance. A leading poisons doctor has warned of the alarming trend of
budding sports stars washing down cold treatment medicine Sudafed or the pain
killer Nurofen with three cans of high caffeine drinks Red Bull, V, or
Mother.They are doing so in the misguided belief it would stimulate them or
prevent pain from a knock during matches.Deputy medical director of the NSW
Poisons Centre at Westmead Children's Hospital Dr Naren Gunja said the problem
was especially rife in private schools."In sporting private schools where winning is important people are using and abusing various over the counter drugs," Dr Gunja said."Drug abuse happens in teenagers, they are taking things for performance enhancement."I don't know exactly what regime people are on but certainly a couple of Sudafed and wash it down with a bit of Red Bull, have some more Red Bull at half time, that is about it."Dr Gunja said the combination of Red Bull and Nurofen and prolonged inappropriate use in sports such as rugby, soccer and swimming, could cause stomach ulcers and heartburn.The most powerful Nurofen product contains codeine, which Dr Gunja said was an opiate similar to the stronger morphine. Abuse of Nurofen could also cause kidney disease.He said children were opting for Sudafed because it contained an amphetamine and might make them more alert. An overdose could cause seizures and raise a child's body temperature.Medics Australia paramedics and first aid officers provide medical help to thousands of children each weekend andtheir staff are also alarmed by a recent surge in medication abuse."We are
becoming increasingly concerned by the incidence of children attending their
weekend sports matches with caffeine-based drinks," a spokesman said
yesterday."I would add I am becoming increasingly concerned and equally
concerned about the use of proprietary pain relief such as Nurofen."Rugby league
coach Matt Cogger and Mark Lindbeck from the Regents Park Pumas said he was
fighting a battle against energy drinks and steered his players away from
them."It is a tragedy waiting to happen," Mark said.

Not really much else I can say, except this is craziness kids are getting more chance of heart attack's and Caffeine addiction the biggest addiction in Australia all I can say is go to Rehab, REHAB.