Hyper-texting kids more likely to smoke, booze, have sex: US study

LONDON - A US study has found that hyper-texting, sending more than 120 texts a day, could be a sign that the child is more likely to smoke, booze and have sex.

The study by the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, surveyed more than 4,000 American teens.

It found that sending out scores of texts and frantic networking, more than three hours a day on Facebook or Bebo, were associated with risky behaviour.

Dr Richard Graham, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist, believes it is very difficult for adults to keep up with the technological world of teenagers - but that we have to learn to.

“I see a lot of young people who are hyper-texting and hyper-networking - they simply can’t stop checking their phones or PCs and responding to messages, even if they are unpleasant ones,” the Sun quoted him as saying.

“Hyper-texters may just be more adventurous. Or they may be using their mobiles to arrange parties or meetings where they obtain alcohol or drugs, or meet a partner,” he stated.

Dr Graham offered a few tips on how to curtail the usage of mobiles by children.

“Make some boundaries about when and where they can use their mobiles for texts - encourage them to send fewer texts every day by setting a target number and reducing it by, say, ten a week,” he said.

“Or follow the example of parents who keep a box at the bottom of the stairs and ask their children to drop off their handsets on the way up to bed,” he added. (ANI)