Community of Concern
TEEN BRAINOLOGY 101- November 2014
WEEK 1
1. You are putting notecards in your child’s desk drawer in his room and you notice a funny looking pen. You pick it up and realize it is not a pen at all but a vapor stick – very similar to an e-cigarette. You ask your child about it and they say it belongs to a friend. He/she says there is no real danger, since the friend does not use liquid that has any drug – just flavored liquid for smoking.
SOLUTION: You take the smoking device and let him/her know to tell the friend that this device is gone. Ask if there is liquid used in this device, if so you should take that as well. Take this opportunity to explain to him/her that e-cigarettes and vapor sticks are illegal for age 18 and under to purchase, possess or use. Also there is no guarantee that what they are smoking is only a flavored drug-free liquid. Various levels of liquid nicotine are available as well as liquid THC (the active ingredient in marijuana). Experts are particularly concerned that as adolescents use these smoking devices, it will introduce and reinforce the habit of smoking tobacco and/or marijuana. A high percentage of adult smokers got hooked on cigarettes while they were teens or preteens.
2. You give your child Adderall every morning for ADDand you still have a few days left before it is time to refill the prescription, but you only have one pill left. Your other child has had friends sleepover so you ask him about it. He admits that John took three Adderall to sell at school, but your child is adamant that you not tell his parents. Everyonewill call the child a snitch and he will lose friends. What do you do?
SOLUTION: Tell John’s parent. If the roles were reversed, you would want/need to know. John is obviously a risk taker and he is willing to take bad risks.. It is illegal to take other people’s Rx medication and this is very dangerous. Encourage your child to tell you about a situation like this immediately.
WEEK 2
1. Your child gets home just before the curfew time – but seems to be a little off-balance. You ask if he/she has been drinking and the response is no way. You get a “good night” kiss and smell nothing but you are still wondering. You don’t want to seem distrustful but….
SOLUTION: Take the doubt away and buy a breathalyzer and use it. You can order one online for about $100.00. One of the best purchases you will ever make.
2. Your son is on the football team and many of his teammates use dip (chewing tobacco). You don’t think he will dip but he is getting older and you are wondering if he will try it – just to be like the other boys. Should you talk to him?
SOLUTION: YES!!!! The addictive power of nicotine makes tobacco use much more than a passing phase for most teens. Show them a picture of teeth or gums after someone has been “dipping” for some time.
WEEK 3
1. You hear your daughter and friends talking about Smirnoff Ice and Barcardi Breezer – both alcopops. You ask her about it and she says it is no big deal – not much alcohol at all in the drink. Everyone is drinking them and she is not going to be left out.
SOLUTION: Get smart and educate yourself. The target market for alcopops is young female teens. They are sweet drinks, served in small bottles that will fit nicely into a young female hand. In the U.S. alcopops often start out as un-hopped beers; much of the malt is removed (boiled) then infused with vodka or grain alcohol and flavoring. Based on age, it is illegal for under 21 and harmful to the developing brain. Stand firm and talk to your child. Decide the consequences for use and impose them.
2. Thanksgiving break is just around the corner and you are suddenly worried because you know the high school kids will want to go out at night, and you fear drinking may be involved. If you talk about it are you actually planting the seed for planning this type of gathering? Should you just be quiet and hope it doesn’t happen?
SOLUTION: The reality is that if your teen is drinking, it is likely in excess, and often with the intent to get drunk. Teens are less likely than adult to drink moderately. A recent US Surgeon General reported that “When youth between the ages of twelve and twenty consume alcohol, they drink on average about 5 drinks per occasion – this is binge drinking – high risk drinking. All of this can land your child in the emergency room or in the morgue. Be smart and talk to your child early and often. Set appropriate consequences and enforce them.
WEEK 4
1. You suspect that some kids your child’s age are smoking weed and although your child is only in middle school you cannot help but wonder. He/she is so smart and funny – everyone loves to be around him/her. Risk-taker is another adjective that fits perfectly – he/she is on several sports teams and is willing to try just about anything. Should you talk to your child?
SOLUTION: YES – talk to your smart child with FACTS early – persistent use of marijuana during adolescence can lower your IQ by about 8 points. This takes a person from being above average to below average. No guarantee that the marijuana has not been laced with other, stronger drugs. Marijuana is a drug of tolerance – the more you smoke, the more you will have to smoke to experience the feeling you had the first time you smoked.
2. If your child is involved in any sport, you probably appreciate the pressure that your teen is under to perform, especially in the high school years. You have watched him/her work hard to excel. You have a vested interest as well – carpooling, attending games, helping with meals and snacks. Your child asks you about performance-enhancing drugs and you are not sure. What to say?
SOLUTION: Amid all the activity, make time to talk to your teen about the dangers of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs, or PEDs. Taken orally or injected, steroids are so common that thy have their own slang names: D, Deca, D-Bol, Test, Juice, Slop or Sauce. When taken to enhance sports performance, they are not natural and they are definitely not harmless. Some performance-enhancing supplements, like creatine and DHEA claim to help speed along the recovery process after a tough workout but the body naturally produces these and an excessive amount can be harmful for your teen.