Abuse by inhalation is more commonly seen in adolescents and young adults. The most common scenario involves a young child. Ingestion is often not witnessed. The parent may smell the chemical on the child's clothing or breath. If the ingestion is witnessed, it is usually impossible to quantify the amount ingested.
Sources range from cleaning products in the kitchen to solvents in the garage.
Often, these chemicals are not properly labeled or are inadvertently stored in a beverage container. A history of coughing, choking, vomiting, or cyanosis correlates well with the likelihood of pulmonary aspiration. Intentional inhalation Volatile hydrocarbons can be inhaled by a variety of techniques. Sniffing involves inhaling the fumes of a liquid from an open container. Huffing involves applying the chemical to a cloth or rag and then inhaling the hydrocarbon by covering the nose and mouth.