Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., is the U.S. Surgeon General, he has the following dozen tips to help keep teenagers safe and healthy.
Healthy Dozen for 15 to 17 Year Olds (Middle Adolescence)
1. Teach teens healthy habits. Teach your teenager how to maintain a high
level of overall health through nutrition, physical fitness, and
healthy behaviors. Make sure your teen gets 8 hours of sleep a night
-- a good night's sleep ensures maximum performance in academics and
sports. Sleep is the body's way of storing new information to memory
and allowing muscles to heal. Assist your teenager in practicing time
management skills by helping them allot time for school, exercise, and
fun time with friends and family. Encourage your teenager to
participate in social activities, community groups, and/or sports.
Your teen should share in household chores while at the same time
taking on new responsibilities. Work with your adolescent to continue
building decision-making skills and to understand the consequences of
their behavior.
http://www.ahrq.gov/ppip/childguide/
2. Promote safe driving habits. Make sure your teenager uses a seat belt
every time he or she is in a car, and ask your child to ensure that
all other passengers are wearing their seatbelts when he or she is
driving. Encourage your young driver to drive responsibly by
following speed limits and avoiding distractions while driving such as
talking on a cell phone, focusing on the radio, or even looking at
fellow passengers instead of the road. Ask them to never drink and
drive, and encourage them to call home or a sober friend if they need
a ride home after consuming alcohol. Remind them that there are
serious consequences for driving irresponsibly, including harming
themselves or someone else.
3. Teach teens the importance of healthy eating and physical activity. A
healthy diet and adequate exercise maximizes the likelihood of teens
growing up healthy and strong. Because teens are still growing and
adding bone mass, a balanced diet is essential to your child's health.
Provide three nutritious meals a day, with fruits and vegetables,
supplemented with healthy snacks. Avoid foods and drinks that are
high in sugar, fat or caffeine. Choose fruits, vegetables; bread
cereal, other grains; lean meats, chicken, fish; and low fat dairy
products. The 2006 Dietary Guidelines, as well as the new recipe book
A Healthier You based on the Guidelines, can help you plan healthy
meals for yourself and your teen. Teenagers also need 30 to 60
minutes of physical activities 3 or more times a week. Obesity and
overweight, even in children, can significantly increase the risk of
heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses, and the vast
majority of overweight teens go on to become overweight adults.
Healthy eating and exercise will ensure that your child maintains a
healthy weight.
Teen Dietary Guidelines
4. Take your teenager to the doctor and dentist. Preventing disease is
easier -- and less painful! -- than curing it, so make sure your
teenager gets regular check-ups. Your adolescent should have a
primary health provider, such as a family practitioner or a physician
specializing in adolescent medicine, who knows your child before he or
she has an illness, injury, or issue that requires medical attention.
Adolescents should have a preventive care visit once a year.
Encourage good oral health. Cavities are the most common chronic
disease among U.S. children. Your teen should brush twice a day with a
soft toothbrush and floss daily. Talk with your dentist about fluoride
and dental sealants. Make sure your teen has dental appointments on a
regular basis, and learn dental emergency care. To find a doctor in
your area, visit
To locate dental care
5. Promotion of school success/ school achievement. Help your teen to
become responsible for attendance, homework and course selection. Be
sure to have conversations with your child about school and show your
interest in his or her school activities. This will help them express
any frustrations with school or thoughts of dropping out. Encourage
them to pursue their talents and to participate in school activities
that interest them. If your teen has trouble concentrating or is
hyperactive more frequently than others are at the same stage of
development, talk to your health care professional. Your child could
have Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD can be
managed through behavioral or medical interventions, or a combination
of the two.
High School Success
6. Prevent violence. Prevent bullying by encouraging peaceful
resolutions to conflict and building positive relationships. Teach
teens to respect others, and encourage tolerance. Limit your
adolescent's exposure to violence in the media, the community, and at
home. Teenagers pay more attention to their parents than you might
realize -- they are watching all the time -- and teens who grow up in
a family environment filled with violence may learn to view violence
as normal, acceptable behavior. Teach your teens that there is no
place for verbal or physical violence by setting an example with your
words and actions and by showing them respect as well.
Stop Bulling Now
7. Teach your teen to say no to smoking. Teenage smoking is a pervasive
problem in our society. To put the problem into perspective, more
than 4,000 teens will try their first cigarette today. Every day,
more than 2000 kids become new regular, daily smokers. The pressure
to experiment with tobacco can come from friends and peers. When
adults smoke, they model behavior for children and teens. Smoking
tobacco can turn into a life-long addiction that can be extremely hard
to break. Discuss with your adolescent the very serious health risks
that are associated with smoking, including heart disease, cancer, and
decreased physical activity, as well as the more unattractive physical
qualities that smokers have, including bad breath, stained teeth, and
a long-term cough.
Stop Tobacco Use
8. Know the 4 "W's" -- who, what, when, where. Always know who your teen
is hanging out with, what they will be doing, when and for how long
they will be out, and where they will be. And check up on them. Be
aware of the dangers that can arise at teenage parties. Teen parties
present an opportunity to your teen to experiment with alcohol or
tobacco. One approach is to host the party so you have more control
over ensuring that these parties stay safe and fun for everyone
involved. Make sure you review the rules with your teen before the
party. No "crashers" allowed. No tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs. No
one can leave the party and then return. Make sure your teen knows
that you expect them to act responsibly.
Drug use Prevention
9. Be aware of your teen's mental health. Help teens increase their self
esteem; taking on new challenges will help build confidence and
demonstrate their strengths. Watch your child for signs of depression
and stress. If your child appears sad, withdrawn, or suddenly dislikes
going to school or hanging out with friends, he or she may be
suffering from depression. Teens who participate in risky behaviors --
including sex, alcohol, and drugs -- are at a higher risk of
depression. Make sure you talk to your teen about their feelings, or
ask them to talk with a health professional, school counselor, or
trusted adult.
Mental health
10. Talk about sex. Even though you may not want to talk to your teen
about sexual issues, if your teen is like most teens, they want you
to. Teens who feel connected to their parents are more likely to have
their first sexual experience later than teens who are not so well
connected to their parents. Teach your teenager that only abstinence
is 100 percent effective against pregnancy and sexually transmitted
diseases. If you think your child is sexually active or thinking
about having sex, discuss how to practice safe sex through condoms and
other forms of contraception. Remind them that condoms are the only
method of birth control that can reduce the risk of contracting a
sexually transmitted disease.
Teens and Sex
11. Encourage injury prevention. Your teenager should wear a helmet and
protective gear when bicycling, riding a motorcycle, playing contact
sports, using in-line skates, or riding a skateboard. Use of safety
equipment can reduce injuries and even save your teenager's life.
Because 80 percent of lifetime sun exposure occurs in childhood, it's
important for parents to help their children practice sun safety.
Just one blistering sunburn in childhood can double a child's risk of
developing skin cancer later in life. Teach your child about sun
safety, including staying inside during midday when the sun is the
hottest; wearing a hat and sunglasses when outside; and applying
sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher frequently. Tanning beds should be
avoided.
Tenn Injury Prevention
12. Talk to your children about the dangers of illicit drugs and alcohol.
Drugs and alcohol are more available to teens than you may be aware.
It can be difficult for your child to "just say no" to drugs and
alcohol. Young people who don't know the facts about tobacco, alcohol,
and other drugs are at greater risk of trying them. Your child may be
interested in using drugs as a way to fit in or as a way to deal with
the pressures of adolescence. Build your child's self-esteem with
praise and support for decisions. A strong sense of self-worth will
help your child to say no to drugs and alcohol -- and mean it. Plan to
discuss a wide variety of topics with your child including alcohol,
tobacco, and other drugs and the need for peer-group acceptance.
You're the best role model for your child, so avoid tobacco, alcohol
abuse, or other drugs yourself. Take a stand against drug issues --
your child will listen.
Alcohol Use and Teens