Methamphetamine is found cooking inside a child's drink cup.

In late 2001, in Williamson County, Illinois, a routine traffic stop turned serious when an eight-year-old child got out of the car and began vomiting on the side of the road. The police officer quickly discovered that the inside of the car was engulfed in fumes from anhydrous ammonia, a dangerous chemical used to make meth. The driver of the car, the child’s mother, pleaded guilty to a meth offense and received probation but was later sentenced to six years in prison for repeatedly violating the terms of her probation. The child went to the emergency room, was treated and released, and is no longer in the care of his mother. It is believed the child suffered no long term damage from the incident.

Other children are not as fortunate. Given the extraordinary dangers of meth manufacture and use, it is not surprising that children living in homes with meth labs and meth addicts face multiple threats to their health and safety. It has been estimated that up to half the child welfare cases handled by some southern Illinois social service agencies are related to methamphetamine.

Among other threats, children in meth homes face the dangers of chemical contamination, fires and explosions, firearms and booby traps, abuse and neglect, and dangerous living conditions.

Chemical contamination: The chemicals used to cook meth and the toxic compounds and byproducts resulting from its manufacture produce toxic fumes, vapors, and liquids. A child living at a meth lab may swallow or inhale toxic substances, suffer an injection or accidental prick from discarded needles, or absorb meth and other toxic substances directly through skin.

For children and adults, exposure to low levels of some meth ingredients may produce headaches, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue; exposure to higher levels can produce shortness of breath, coughing, chest pain, dizziness, lack of coordination, eye and tissue irritation, chemical burns (to the skin, eyes, mouth, and nose), and death. Corrosive substances may cause injury through inhalation or contact with the skin. Solvents can irritate the skin, mucous membranes, and respiratory tract and affect the central nervous system. Chronic exposure to the chemicals typically used in meth manufacture may cause cancer and damage the brain, liver, kidney, spleen, and immunologic system.

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When meth is cooked, "the chemicals spread throughout the house. The methamphetamine is deposited everywhere, from walls and carpets to microwaves, tabletops and clothing. Children living in those labs might as well be taking the drug directly.” – Researcher at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, Colorado, which found that the process of cooking methamphetamine produces a cloud of hydrochloric acid and methamphetamine that spreads throughout an apartment, home, or other structure.

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Fires and Explosions: Meth labs expose children to an acute risk of fires or explosions. In fact, 20 to 30 percent of known meth labs are discovered as a result of a fire or explosion. Careless handling and overheating of volatile hazardous chemicals and unsafe manufacturing methods cause solvents and other materials to burst into flames or explode. Improperly labeled and incompatible chemicals are often stored together, compounding the likelihood of fire and explosion. Highly combustible materials left on stove tops, near ignition sources, or on surfaces accessible to children can be easily ignited by a single spark or cigarette ember.

Firearms and Booby Traps: When police bust meth labs, it is not uncommon for them to find explosives and booby traps – including trip wires, hidden sticks with nails or spikes, and light switches or electrical appliances wired to explosive devices. Loaded guns and other weapons in easy-to-reach locations are commonplace and pose a threat to children in meth homes. In some cases, dangerous animals trained to protect illegal meth labs pose added physical hazards, and their feces contribute to the filth in areas where children play, sleep, and eat.

Abuse and Neglect: Children living in homes with meth labs run the risk of severe abuse and neglect. They may endure physical and sexual abuse by members of their families or others in the home. Parents and caregivers addicted to meth often become careless, irritable, and violent, losing their capacity to nurture children. In these situations, parents may not only fail to protect their children from harm, but also may fail to provide essential food, safe sleeping conditions, dental care, and basic medical care.

Dangerous Living Conditions: Hazardous living conditions, filth, substandard housing, and building code violations are commonplace in meth homes. Children risk getting shocked or electrocuted by exposed wires or as a result of unsafe electrical equipment or practices. Poor ventilation – sometimes the result of windows that have been sealed to keep telltale meth vapors from escaping – increases the likelihood of combustion and the dangers of inhaling toxic fumes.

The inability of meth-addicted and meth-manufacturing parents to function as competent caregivers increases the likelihood that a child will be accidentally injured or will ingest drugs and poisonous substances. Baby bottles may be stored among toxic chemicals. Hazardous meth components may be stored in two-liter soft drink bottles, fruit juice bottles, and pitchers in food preparation areas or the refrigerator. Ashtrays and drug paraphernalia – such as razor blades, syringes, and pipes – are often found scattered within a child’s reach, even in cribs. Infants are found with meth powder on their clothes, bare feet, and toys. In addition, the health hazards in meth homes from unhygienic conditions, needle sharing, and unprotected sexual activity may include hepatitis A and C, E. coli, syphilis, and HIV.

An excellent source of information on meth-endangered children is: “Children at Clandestine Methamphetamine Labs: Helping Meth’s Youngest Victims,” United States Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime, June 2003. Click here to view online.

The 2001 Williamson County case described at the beginning of this section was prosecuted by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and more information can be found in a January 13, 2005 press release.