Unhealthy teen trends parents should be aware of:
Noise exposure. About 12.5 percent of American children between the age of 6 and 19 have measurable noise induced hearing loss in one or both ears. (See Turn down the iPod.)
Texting while driving. This practice is widespread and getting worse. According to a 2010 survey by AAA and Seventeen Magazine, 86 percent of drivers, age 16-19 admit to risky driving habits. Those who texted, sent, on average, 23 text messages while driving in the past month.
Tattoos. Although most states have laws prohibiting minors from getting them, they are poorly enforced. Outbreaks of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) skin infections among tattoo recipients have been related to sloppy infection control practices.
Piercings. Besides traditional ear piercings which carry the standards risks of infection, allergic reactions to nickel, and scar formation, kids are piercing other parts of their bodies, including their nose, naval region, lips, eyebrows and tongues, as well as areas hidden from parents, such as the nipples and genitals. Bacterial infections are not uncommon as are risks of hepatitis, tuberculosis, HIV and tetanus. Deformity and scarring can be permanent.
ADHD prescription drug abuse. The same drugs being used to treat attention deficit disorder are being freely shared by some teens on college campuses and high schools to give them an edge at preparing for exams.
Tobacco escalation products. Like many teens, my son was convinced that, unlike cigarettes, smoking a hookah was not harmful. In fact, hookahs do use tobacco (referred to as Massel) which comes in a wide variety of flavors.
Tanning salon use. Even though exposure to tanning beds before the age of 30 increases a person's risk of developing melanoma by 75 percent, this real danger is dampened by television shows that depict it as trendy and fashionable.
Circle lenses/decorative contact lenses. Illegal to sell without a prescription, but easily bought online, doctors are concerned about risks of blinding infections and damage to the cornea.
Biting and cutting and sucking blood. Yes, as unbelievable as it sounds, there’s a vampire movement afoot thanks to the glamorous portrayal of teen vampires on the Twilight series and The Vampire Diaries and the popularity of HBO’s True Blood.
Tech use at night. The high-tech bedrooms of many teenagers are anything but dark and quiet. No wonder they're tired in school.
Learn more about these disturbing trends in 10 troublesome teen trends.
