Parents play an important and crucial role in the lives of their children. As the children grow to become pre-teenagers and adolescents, parents become worried about new risks that their children may encounter. First and foremost is the risk of using substances like alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and various drugs. Talking to a pediatrician regarding screening for substance use of their children is the best strategy that a parent should do to avoid substance abuse.
Substance used by teenagers will surely affect their health. Through the cooperation agreement of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), they built up a guide for implementing substance use screening in pediatric practices. It enables pediatricians to determine concerns with regards to substance abuse. The AAP suggests screening for substance use in children beginning at 9 years old.
