Know Your Odds: How Middle School Kids Get Hurt

Kids get hurt in lots of ways during the middle years. But sometimes knowing the odds can help you be better prepared for, or even prevent, the worst.

Here are some of the biggest risks based on the hard numbers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other sources. The good news: School fights and weapons have declined more than 25 percent in the last decade.

Sex

Odds: 1 in 10 kids have had intercourse by age 13. Kids are bombarded with images of sex through television, music and video games without always hearing about the consequences: pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and emotional turmoil.

Antidote: The biggest factors in stopping teen sex are you and the clock. When you can’t be with your child, make sure they are with another adult. Get your daughter involved with a program during the after school hours, which is when kids are most likely to have sex. Have your son volunteer to tutor elementary students.

Drugs

Odds: 1 in 5 kids have smoked tobacco and 1 in 4 kids have consumed alcohol by age 13. Studies have shown that use of drugs at this age greatly increases the possibility of other risky behavior and later substance abuse. Not concerned yet? Consider that 1 in 10 students have already tried marijuana before entering high school.

Antidote: While your child deserves some privacy, if you suspect drug use, be a snoop. You may be the “bad guy” for a while, but it will pay off in the end. If you see someone abusing drugs in the media, ask your child why he thinks they’re doing it. Not getting through? See if your local police department or hospital has an educational program for kids. Sometimes shock is the only way to scare a child straight.

Depression

Odds: By ninth grade, 1 in 4 students have suffered from prolonged depression — feeling sad or helpless almost every day for at least two weeks in a row. How do you know when your child crosses the line from being in a funk to being seriously depressed? Well, that’s a tough one.

Antidote: Watch for signs. Typically the first is a lack of interest in activities she used to enjoy. Other warning signs include a change in sleep patterns, irritability, loss of appetite, significant weight gain or loss and risky behavior like sex and drug abuse. Ask teachers if they’ve noticed anything different or if her work habits have changed. Still unsure? Enlist the help of a school counselor or a mental health professional.