| Cell phones, once considered a luxury item, are now | | | | Chiropractors are noticing serious spinal changes as |
| a mainstay of modern life. Most parents see them as | | | | well. The forward head position that most people |
| a crucial part of keeping kids safe as they can | | | | assume as they use electronic devices puts |
| contact or be contacted day or night. While this | | | | considerable pressure on their spine and over time |
| solves some problems, it raises others. | | | | can change the curvature of their neck. Did you |
| For today's teen, using their phone to send text | | | | know that each inch of forward head posture can |
| messages is a way of life. Because text messages | | | | increase the weight of your head on your spine by |
| are seen as less intrusive than phone calls, many | | | | an additional 10 pounds? That means if your teen |
| teens would rather text than talk. They rely on it as | | | | looks down as he texts, it adds 20 to 30 pounds of |
| instant communication when talking is taboo and email | | | | pressure on his neck. Over time, this added pressure |
| too slow. In short texting is very popular. | | | | can flatten or reverse the normal C curve in his neck |
| Consider these recently posted facts by Christina | | | | leading to decreased immune function, neck pain, |
| Warren on the Mashable Blog, | | | | headaches, shoulder pain or numbness and tingling in |
| "75% of teens have cellphones, up from 45% back | | | | his arms. Even worse, this deformity in the spine pulls |
| in 2004. | | | | the rest of the spine out of alignment affecting |
| Thirty-three percent of teens send more than 100 | | | | every system in the body. Clearly we need to warn |
| texts per day. | | | | our teens about what they are doing to themselves. |
| Teenage boys send an average of 30 text | | | | No one expects teens to give up their phones but |
| messages per day and girls send an average of 80." | | | | parents should ask them to think about how much |
| Because so many teens are texting, it is becoming | | | | they are using them and consider cutting back. They |
| common for them to experience joint problems at | | | | should also think about their posture and how it might |
| young ages. Warn your child about the dangers of | | | | be affecting them over time. Our world has changed |
| continuous texting. Let them know that if they have | | | | and we have to learn how to be safe as we adapt |
| pain or swelling in their joints, it is serious. In addition | | | | to it. |
| to obvious problems with hands and wrists, | | | | |