The number of emergency room visits involving Energy Drinks has doubled from 2007 to 2011 reaching more than 20,000 according to a new government report.  As many of you know, these drinks have been marketed to our teens and young adults.  Teens and young adults use these drinks for increased energy to stay awake, study for an exam, or in conjunction with alcohol or prescription medication.  Truth is the energy drinks can have negative health consequences.  According to a report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMSHA), the consumption of energy drinks is a "rising public health problem."  The energy drinks can cause headaches, increased heart rate, insomnia, and nervousness.  In 2011, forty two percent (42%) of emergency room cases involved energy drinks combined with alcohol or drugs such as Ritalin or Adderall.  When someone drinks three energy drinks within one hour, it is the equivalent of drinking 15 cups of coffee.  Think twice before purchasing these drinks for your children.

For more information on this topic, contact Lisa Cannon, Gratiot County Substance Abuse Coalition at 989-462-0142 or lisa@linkforfamilies.org  or www.drugfree.org/join-together.

Please keep in mind your child's developmental stage, you will need to focus on specific issues and address or avoid certain topics.

Reinforce boundaries.  Support your child if they want to say "No thank you" to hugs or kisses from relatives.  If you child is squirming away when Grandpa wants to give them a hug you could say, "Jimmy isn't really in the mood for a kiss right now, and that's okay, isn't it Grandpa?"

Head off guilty feelings. Don't wait until you suspect something is wrong. "Kids need to hear that it is never their fault if someone behaves sexually with them and that they can always come to you," says Jolie Logan CEO of Darkness to Light.  In doing so, you help take away the perpetrator's most powerful weapons-shame and fear.  Bathtime is one opportunity to talk about bodies and boundaries, says Logan ("I want you to understand that people shouldn't touch your private parts, or ask you to touch theirs").  Or use current events: "There are grown-ups who like to do inappropriate things with children, and it's my job as a parent to keep you safe.  You can always come to me if you feel uncomfortable.

Teach internet safety. Many experts consider kids this age too young to be online by themselves.  Use parental controls to limit their access, and explain that people are not always who they claim to be online.  Make sure your child never discloses any personal information or photos.  Ask your child to tell you if they ever feel uncomfortable about anything on the Internet they receive or see.

Article information obtained from "Protect Your Child from a Predator", By Jessica Snyder Sachs from Parent Magazine.

Next month we will look at the final age group of Ages 9+, on how to talk with them to prevent sexual abuse.

Statistics

• 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before the age of 18.
• 1 in 5 children is solicited sexually while on the internet.
• Nearly 70% of all reported sexual assaults (including assaults on adults) are on children ages 17 and under