Before discussing the impact, Dr. Greenhaw explains that social media consists of internet-based platforms and applications that enable users to create personal profiles, post content, and interact with user-generated content, as well as to form and maintain online social networks and communities.

 Dr. Greenhaw emphasizes the importance of parental involvement.

“The platforms most used by children and adolescents in the United States are TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat, with Twitch, Discord, Pinterest, Reddit, and WhatsApp also playing significant roles in specific subgroups,” said Dr. Greenhaw.

 According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, children ages 8 to 18 in the United States spent an average of 7.5 hours a day using screens in 2025.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Roblox

Two areas not always categorized as social media include AI chatbots and Roblox.

Roblox: While primarily a video game, it features elements of social media, such as personal profiles, avatars and the ability to chat with strangers during gameplay.

The platform is incredibly popular and includes many red flags for potential harm, including its engagement-prolonging design, behavioral reinforcers and major concerns for privacy.

“It carries many of the same risks as social media,” said Dr. Greenhaw.

Artificial Intelligence: Web-based tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are creating "parasocial" interactions, where children and teenagers may begin to view AI chatbots as friends or confidantes.

“Given the difficulty of traditional measures to monitor children’s use of this technology, open communication is key for detecting problematic or potentially harmful use,” said Dr. Greenhaw.

Generally, parents want to be informed about their children’s internet use. Creating an open space for frequent communication increases awareness of how children are spending their time online. If a parent is not first aware, they cannot intervene.

"Social media use may lead to worsening mental health outcomes if it includes exposure to cyberbullying, harmful content, algorithmic feeds or engagement-prolonging design," said Dr. Greenhaw.

 For Younger Children

• Emotional Regulation: Children can develop a stunted ability to manage their emotions if they rely too heavily on digital platforms for stimulation or distraction.

 For Adolescents

• Mental Health: Teens with higher baseline depressive symptoms may increase social media use over time, which can lead to negative social comparisons.
• Body Image: Appearance-focused platforms like Instagram and TikTok have a significant impact on how adolescents view their bodies.

 Healthy Digital Habits

• Create a Family Media Plan: Establish screen-free times for the entire family and set clear boundaries.
• Select High-Quality Content: Prioritize content that models social-emotional skills or tailored learning goals, such as math or reading.
• Set Intentional Limits: Be deliberate about when your child receives their first personal device.
• Protect Sleep: Ensure devices are put away well before bedtime to prevent interference with rest.

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March marks spring break for families and it is Poison Prevention Month. According to the 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment, one in two children live in homes where medications are not always locked up and four in seven children live in homes where cleaning products are not always stored in a locked area. 

“Unintentional poisoning can happen to anyone, at any age,” said Klaressa Broughton, poison prevention program coordinator at the Center for Community Health. 

In 2025, Cook Children’s saw an increase of poisoning encounters, with 1,031 compared to 818 in 2024. Broughton explains that the top poisoning for 2025 involved children of all ages from birth to 18 and were related to medication and unspecified non-drug poisonings.  

“By practicing Safe Dosing, Safe Storage, and Safe Disposal, you can create layers of protection for your household,” said Broughton. 

She adds having conversations with friends, caregivers and family can ensure kids stay safe while they explore someone else’s home. She suggests opening the conversation with: “Since the kids are at the “into everything stage”, do you mind if we double-check that medications and cleaners are out of reach?” 

Tips for Poison Prevention: 

Safe Medication Dosing 

• Follow the dosing directions listed on the medication by using the appropriate measuring items, such as a medicine cup or oral syringe.
• Double dosing is NOT twice as effective, and in many instances can cause internal damage.
• Adult medications may be too strong for children and should not be given in half doses. Only give medicine to your child that is intended for children.
• Print the medication schedule to keep the right dosage for your family. 

Safe Storage 

• Many people leave medications on bathroom and kitchen counters as well as bedroom nightstands as a visual reminder to take them. Avoid unintentional injury and store medication up high, locked, and out of reach.
• Hang purses and personal bags up high so children cannot reach prescriptions, vitamins, or other regularly used medications.
• Remember, when visiting friends and family, it is ok to have an open discussion about safe storage. 

Safe Disposal 

• DEA Drug Take Back Day is on April 25th from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Visit a medication drop box at a local pharmacy. For more information on poison prevention, visit www.meddropbox.org.
• The best disposal option is to find a drug take-back location, which may be found in retail, hospital, pharmacies, and/or law enforcement facilities.
• Removing any unused or expired medication in the home can reduce the risk of access. 

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Drowning is the leading cause of injury, with children between the ages 1 to 4 at the highest risk. According to the 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment, Cook Children’s Medical Centers in Fort Worth and Prosper treated 224 drowning-related injuries from 2021 to 2023. These incidents occurred in bathtubs, open water (lakes, rivers, and ponds), and pools or hot tubs.  

“Spring break is really our kind of entry point of getting back into the water,” said Jillian Mitchell, program coordinator for the injury prevention team at the Center for Community Health. 

Cook Children’s Loaner Life Jacket Station provide five different sizes of U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets, ranging from infant to adult, that can be borrowed and returned. The goal is to make sure no child or adult drowns at a public lake because they didn’t have access to a life jacket. In 2025 more than 1,800 U.S. Coast Guard life jackets to area lakes in Tarrant, Denton, Rockwall, and Stephens counties.  

Mitchell encourages families and caregivers to make a plan before heading to the water. The “Lifeguard Your Child” program teaches parents how to create a safety plan for children anytime they are around water. 

According to data from the Community Health Needs Assessment, 85% of drowning-related injuries were pool-or hot tub-related. Of those 8% were fatal, with most fatalities occurring with children ages 0 to 4. 

While many public and community pools are not yet open, families may travel to lakes, rivers, or oceans.  

“Open water behaves differently than in a pool,” explained Mitchell, “It's dark. It's deep, it's murky. Anyone that is on a lake or a river or in the ocean should wear a life jacket all the time because it is an unpredictable water source.” 

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends kids begin swim lessons as young as 1 year old. 

Mitchell shares these tips for families heading to the water for their spring break: 

• Learn about the flag system when you go out to the beach. 

• Sit near a lifeguard if there is one present.
• Look for a life jacket that's approved by the U.S. Coast Guard.
• Spring break is a great time to pull out those life jackets from last year. You may find that your child has outgrown the life jacket.
• Make sure that your children know they should always ask permission before going to the water. 

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In the state of Texas, it's illegal for anyone under 18 years of age to use an indoor UV tanning facility, even with a parent's permission. But recent studies show that the use of tanning beds can become an obsession and parents need to make sure their child is not finding a way to work around the law.

Why?

The dangers of cancer:

• Ultra-violet (UV) light in tanning bed is known to cause cancer.
• Every year, more than 170,000 cases of skin cancer related to indoor tanning are diagnosed.
• One indoor tanning session increases your risk of getting melanoma skin cancer by 20 percent.
• Melanoma is the second most common type of invasive cancer in teens and young adults and is the leading cause of cancer death in women ages 25 to 30.
• One indoor session increase your riks of getting squamous cell carinoma by 67 percent.

"While all tanning is bad, tanning bed usage exposes people to ultraviolet A rays," said Sandra Peak, M.D., a Cook Children's pediatrician in Lewisville. "UVB rays cause sunburn, but UVA rays penetrate much deeper into the skin."

Other icky health risks may also be found at your local tanning salon, including bacteria that can lead to staph infection. Regular trips to the tanning bed can also change skin texture and cause sunspots, which probably aren't what your teen is after.

So what if your child begs you to go? It's time to talk.

"Parents should sit down and discuss the risks of indoor tanning with their children," Dr. Peak said. "Melanoma has become the cancer of young people."

Instead encourage your children to use a self tanner to get that summer glow, and urge them to always apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum sun protection factor of 15 before heading outdoors, even during winter months. Dr. Peak recommends staying away from spray tans, since the chemicals can damage delicate mucus membranes.

About the author

Sandra Peak, M.D., joined Cook Childrens Physician Network in Lewisville in 2004. Dr. Peak enjoys gardening, yoga, and boating and in her spare time can be found at the lake with her husband Jay, stepson Sage and the world’s most amazing Lab, Sugar Mae.