Spring weather in Chicago is a lot like a teenager - unpredictable from one day to the next. They are in a phase of change with hormone levels and societal pressures that can make their behaviors and emotions erratic. How many times have you thought or said, "What were you thinking?"  

New research has helped us understand that it's not so much what teens are thinking, it's how. Scientists used to think brain development was complete by about age 10. However, in key ways, the brain doesn't look like that of an adult until the early 20s. For one, the frontal lobes are not fully developed in teens. This part of the brain is responsible for controlling impulses and planning ahead.

Whenever a brain is developing, it is vulnerable to the effects of drugs and alcohol. For example:

• Recent research shows that alcohol slows the communication between neurons in the prefrontal cortex, which plays a critical role in coordinating appropriate responses possibly leading to risky behaviors.*
• Marijuana also affects the prefrontal cortex by changing the normal patterns of blood flow and impairing decision-making abilities. This can lead users to engage in risky behaviors they wouldn't ordinarily do.*
• Drug effects in the hypothalamus can also lead to serious health problems since this area of the limbic system regulates housekeeping activities, such as blood pressure and heart rate, thirst, appetite, sleep, metabolism, breathing, temperature control, and hormones that are essential to healthy growth, development, and puberty.*

When your kids were little you protected them in so many ways: teaching them to look both ways before crossing the street, putting on sunscreen to protect them from getting burned, etc. Now that they are teens, your conversations can protect them from being harmed by the negative consequences of alcohol and drug use.  

While teens will often discount that risks will actually happen to them, helping them become

future-oriented thinkers is an important lesson. Ask your teen to think through consequences of actions before they are presented with the situation. Let them "role play" and go over several "what if" scenarios. The key is to present the information in a neutral way and allow your teen to have as much control over their choices as possible. Get more information and help with starting the conversation here. 

Do you know what "social host" means? Do you know what the legal ramifications are if your teen gets caught with a fake ID? It is important that you understand and discuss the legal consequences of underage drinking just as much as the physical, social and emotional consequences. Join the Deerfield Parent Network on Monday, March 19th at 7:30 p.m. at Deerfield High School as they host a panel discussion on "Teens and the Law - What Parents Need to Know".   For more information, click here.