Sue Scheff: Michele Borba: Teen Cold & Cough Syrup Addiction Risky Teen Behavior Series 2.

By Michele Borba

This is the second in a series of Risky Teen Behaviors from a segment I did for the NBC Today Show. This next risky teen behavior is right in your medicine cabinet. Taking cough and cold medications continues to be a hot craze for kids. The trend IS increasing and younger kids are joining ranks. It is also the cause of addictions as well as deaths.

YOUR REALITY CHECK: When is the last time you checked your medicine cabinet for cold and cough syrup medications (especially those bearing the letter DXM)? What about your prescription drugs? One of the riskiest teen behaviors is right there in your own medicine cabinet. Are you noticing that any are disappearing? Pharmacies and drug stores are now locking these medicines up to fight off kid theft.

The ingredient found in most popular nonprescription cold and cough medicines — called Dextromethorphan or DXM– can be safely taken in the recommended dosage. However, when taken in high doses it can produce euphoric highs and hallucinations and can become a dangerous, ever deadly mind-altering drug. Many kids are taking as much as 25 to 50 times the recommended dose to get high. You do the math.

Get Savvy About the Stats on Cold and Cough Medication

•One out of every fourteen kids aged 12 to 17 (more than 2.4 million) admit using cold or cough medicine “fairly recently” to get high
•The highest incidents of abuse are amongst teens 15 to 16-year-olds
•One in ten teens says they have used Vicodin, a potentially habit-forming painkiller. OxyContin, stimulants like Ritalin, inhalers (all prescription medications) are also widely used among teens. Beware of your own prescription medications
•Only 45 percent of teens believe that abusing cough medicine to get high it risky. Talk seriously and firmly to your child about this issue.

What Parents Can Do

* Listen for code words: Skittling, Tussing, Skittles, Robo-tripping, Red Devils, Velvet, Triple C, C-C-C-, Robotard are some of the names kids use for cough and cold medication abuse.

* Keep track of how much medicine is in your house.Keep medicines that could potentially be abused in less accessible places.

* Read the labels. Look for medicines that contain dextromethorphan or DXM in the active ingredient section of the over-the-counter Drug Facts label.

* Don’t stockpile on over-the-counter medicines. It might tempt your teen or his friends.

* Monitor your teen’s Internet use.Many website and online communities promote the abuse of DMT or other drugs. Social networking sites such as MySpace, YouTube and Facebook provided detailed instructions for getting high as well as videos of kids abusing cough medicine.

* Join the Five Moms Campaign. Read how five moms decided to tell other parents about teen cough syrup abuse and how they are succeeding in spreading their message. I love these moms! They’re on a mission to spread the word and are succeeding. (the URL is www.fivemoms.com)

* Talk about the dangers. Kids perceive that because cough and cold medications are available in drug stores, they are safe.

* Stay on top of this!!! Kids are taking this stuff 25 to 50 times the recommended dosage and also taking it WITH alcohol. Doing so can be lethal. Teens also crunch up those little time capsules and take them in one lump dose.

* Check for empty bottles. Look in pockets, garbage cans, cars, under beds, etc. for empty wrappers.

* Smell your child for a medicinal odor.The cough syrup will have an odor. Pills will not.

* Check your child’s eyes. Check for slurry speech. Sleepiness. Wobbly walking. Check the alochol content on the cough syrup bottle. It may shock you.

* Listen and watch. Notice if your child complains of a cold or cough (but doesn’t have the symptoms).
Drug stores are keeping these medicines under lock and key (there are over 120 medicines with DXM in them). You should do so as well.

* Keep track of your own prescription drugs. Kids are abusing not only their parents’ painkillers but also their friends’ Ritalin supply. Get savvy!!

Get on board with other parents. Please pass this blog onto other moms and dads. And do what you always do: Talk, Talk, Talk to your child about cold and cough medication abuse. And then talk some more.

For daily parenting solutions follow Michele on twitter @micheleborba

Dr. Michele Borba is the author of over 22 books including the upcoming Big Book of Parenting Solutions.

Sue Scheff: Parenting Solutions to Help Kids Really Say No To Peer Pressure

By Michele Borba

What were you thinking?” “But didn’t you tell the kids it wasn’t right?” “You did what?!!@!”

Are you concerned that your kid always seems to go along with the crowd? Does she have a tough time speaking up and letting her opinions be known? Have you noticed that your child can be easily swayed to do what the other kids want? Some kids may call him a Wimp or a Scaredy Cat, your terms may be more along the lines of submissive, follower or even push over. This may not seem such a big deal now, but peer pressure gets nothing but tougher as kids get older. After all, if he has a tough time saying “no” to the tamer dilemmas of younger kids, fast forward your concerns to the kinds of wilder, scarier issues he may face later. And there is cause for some concern. A Time/Nickelodeon survey of 991 kids ages nine to fourteen revealed 36 percent feel pressure from peers to smoke marijuana, 40 percent feel pressure to have sex, 36 percent feel pressure to shoplift, and four out of ten feel pressure to drink.

Here’s the good news though: assertive skills can be taught to kids. Though it is never too late, the sooner parents start boosting this friendship skill builder, the greater your child’s confidence will be in social settings, and the easier you’ll sleep. Here are a few strategies from my book, The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries, you can use to help your child buck the negative peer pressure and stand up to peers.


•Bring the issue into the open. If your kid is suffering from a lack of assertive skills, it may be very hard for him to talk about this problem so take the lead. “I noticed during play group today Johnny told you to throw sand in the sink, and you did it. You know better. So let’s talk about why you went along.” “You know Rene’s house is off limits, but you went along with the group anyway. You have to learn to stand up to your friends and do what you know is right.”

•Share your beliefs. Parents who raise assertive kids who can stand up for their beliefs don’t do so by accident. They make sure their children know what they stand for. “In our family we don’t watch violent movies. Plain and simple. So tell your friends you can’t go.” “I don’t care if all your friends use four-letter words, for you that’s forbidden.” “The next time a friend dares you to smoke a cigarette, just stand up and walk out. You need to stick up for what you know is right. I know how much you hate smoking.”

•Stop rescuing. If your role has been apologizing, explaining, or basically “doing” for your child, then stop. You child will never learn how to stand up for himself. Instead, he’ll forever by relying on you.

•Model assertiveness. If you want your child to be confident, assertive, and stand up for his beliefs, make sure you display those behaviors. Kids mimic what they see.

•Teach how to say no. Ask your child to choose phrases he is most comfortable using. “No” can be said alone: “NO!” It can also be followed by a reason: “No, it’s just not my style.” “No thanks. My parents would kill me.” “No, I don’t feel like doing that.” “No, I don’t want to.” “No. I have to get home and I’m already late.” The child could suggest an alternative: “No. Let’s think of something else.” “Nope. How bout we go to the skate park instead?” Tell your child it’s not his job to change your friend’s mind, but to stay true to his beliefs.

•Teach confident body language. Push-over kids usually stand with heads down, shoulders slumped, arms and knees quivering, and eyes downcast. So even if he says “no” to his friends, his body sends a far different message and his words will have little credibility. So it’s crucial to teach your child assertive body posture: hold your head high, shoulders slightly back, look your friend in the eye and use a confident, firm tone of voice. It will help your child see what the confident body posture looks like so she can use it herself. So role play with your child the “confident look” and the “hesitant look.” Then encourage your child to be on the look-out for “confident” or “hesitant” posture in other people. Look everywhere: at the mall, on the playground, even television and movie actors. Soon your child will instantly be able to spot confident posture and copy and use it himself.

•Use a firm voice. Emphasize the tone of your child’s voice is often more important than what he says. So tell your child to speak in a strong tone of voice. No yelling or whispering. Be friendly but determined. Just tell the friend where you stand. A simple “No” or “No, I don’t want to” is fine.

•Reinforce assertiveness. If you want to raise a child who can stand up for his beliefs, then reinforce any and all efforts your child makes to be assertive and stand up for his beliefs. “I know that was tough telling your friends you had to leave early to make your curfew. I’m proud you were able to stand up to them and not just go along.”

•Hold family debates. The best way for kids to learn to express themselves is right at home, so why not start “Family Debates” or if you prefer the more gentler-sounding approach: “Family Meetings”?

Start by setting these five rules:

1. Everyone is listened to.

2. No putdowns are allowed.

3. You may disagree, but do so respectfully.

4. Talk calmly.

5. Everyone gets a turn.

Topics can be the hot button issues in the world, in school or right in your home. Here are just a few discussion possibilities: house rules, sibling conflicts, allowances, chores, curfews, parent-set movie restrictions. “Real world” issues could include: reparations, the Iraq War, the draft, lowering the voting age, legalizing drugs. Whatever the topic, encourage your hesitant child’s to speak up and be heard.

•Don’t tolerate excuses. You’ve been working on these skills, but your child is still agreeing to do things she knows are wrong to go along with the group such as going to sneaking into a R-rated movie or using bad words. If this happens, be sure to take clear action to reestablish your rules and your child’s need to stand up to peer pressure

It’s not always easy to buck the crowd. Everyone wants to be liked. But for your child’s own self-confidence, independence and future success in life, it’s important he learn to stand up to a friend. So continue to encourage each and effort he makes, and help him practice the skills of assertiveness until he can confidently use them alone. And above all, remember simple changes can reap big results. So don’t give up.

For daily parenting solutions follow Michele on twitter @micheleborba