Stand back hickeys, there’s a new love bite in town. In the midst of all the vampire craze brought on by the hit Twilight movies and HBO’s True Blood, teens are taking the “love bite” to the next level.
The suction induced bruising of yesteryear’s hickey has been replaced by full-on biting until blood is drawn. Kids are “marking their territory” by chomping down on their significant 
others in homage to the latest vampire trends that are sweeping the nation.
It’s one thing to enjoy the mystical, romantic notion of brooding, gorgeous vampires as entertainment, it’s another to be inflicting bodily harm on someone that you supposedly love.
There are two major concerns with this fad:
- Human bites are serious injuries. It doesn’t matter how hygienic an individual is, her mouth is full of bacteria. Introducing bacteria to an open wound is just begging for a serious infection, sometimes leading to hospitalization and intravenous antibiotics. Besides infections, serious diseases are passed through contact with blood (for example: HIV and Hepatitis).
- Loved ones are not possessions. Using anything, apparently including open wounds, to show that you “belong” to somebody is dangerous behavior. It’s one thing to trade class rings as a symbol of your commitment to one another, it’s entirely different to be “marking territory.”
It may sound silly to think that your 15-year-old may be going through the biting stage again (and you thought you kicked that habit when he was a toddler), but with this trend catching on, it’s quite possible.
Talk to your tweens and teens today about the seriousness of the situation. They may think it’s cute and playful, but it’s not. There can be serious consequences medically and emotionally.
If you see a bite on your child, it’s important to cleanse it immediately. If the skin is broken, a doctor should be consulted immediately. Redness, prolonged pain, swelling and pus are all red flags that the area is significantly infected.
Children lack life experience, so they don’t look at the big picture in most situations and act impulsively. That’s why the news is full of tragic stories and not-so-happy endings. Sit with your daughter and have a heart to heart about loving in a healthy, safe way. If you need to whip out the “biting is for apples, not arms (or in this case neck)” mom-ism, know that it’s for her own good…again.
Image Source: flickr.com/photos/jelene/2969778769
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