Parents' permission for tattoos and piercing
Summary
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), body modifications or changing one's physical appearance is common among adolescents. For example in 2010, the Pew Research Center found that young people aged 18-29 years had tattoo and piercings, and 79% had their tattoo covered. The article states that body modification is associated with health problems and high-risk behaviors such as substance use, nonsuicidal self-injury, sexual intercourse, and more. The article states that parents should understand the rules and regulation, and risks and complications of tattoo and piercing, and guide their young children in decision making. Although tattoos and piercing are popular, parents should help the teens understand the lifelong ramifications, weigh the potential risks, and advise them on the right decisions to make sure that body modification does not affect their employment opportunities, education, behaviors, and health.
Argument
Previous reports on tattoo and piercing have found that tattoos and piercing are associated with high-risk behaviors such as alcohol and drug use, eating disorders, sexualities, suicidal thoughts, and more (Breuner & David, Para, 3). Medical literature has also reported that individuals who get a tattoo are at a high risk of infections due to the use of contaminated tattoo needles, inflammation such as focal edema, and pruritus, neoplasms, and other illnesses such as hepatitis B, hematoma formation, pain, and more. The article states that these infections can be prevented by using disposable sterilized needles (Breuner & David, Para, 24). Another way to avoid infection is by following the states' statutory laws, recommendations, and guidelines. However, the laws and regulations are not effective or in other words, they do not control infections. Therefore, the current argument about tattoos and piercing is that young kids need parental consent.
Although the pediatrician should understand the laws regulating tattoos and piercing, and offer psychological support through behavioral intention to prevent the adolescents' risk behaviors, parents should talk to their kids (Breuner & David, Para, 84). It is important to note that body modifications affect one's job prospects and education. Some employers would not hire employees with a tattoo to work in corporate offices. In general, many organizations judge employees upon their physical appearance and this indicates that individuals with tattoos are put behind other applicants. Therefore, parents need to guide their young kids about body modifications. Note that informed adolescents will make an informed decision that will not lead to regrets (Breuner & David, Para, 84). Parents need to be aware of the risk of infections, bloodborne pathogens, and behavioral problems. They should ensure that the process of tattooing and piercing is safe to avoid the risk of complications.
Response
I agree with the authors’ ideas that parental authority is paramount when it comes to tattooing and piercing. First, parents and guardians should understand the laws and regulations, as well as implications of body modifications. Then, they should be involved in tattooing and piercing to provide their young children with the knowledge and ensure safe application (Breuner & David, Para, 84). Note that young children are legally incompetent and they are unable to make informed decisions. Thus, they needed to be adequately informed about high-risk behaviors such as sexual activities, drug abuse, and diseases such as hepatitis C, allergic reactions, nerve damage, among other complications (Breuner & David, Para, 24). Beyond behavioral and medical problems, parents and guardians should let their children know that tattooing and piercing can affect their future employment. They should be aware that some employers won't hire them if they have tattoos.
Teens should understand these risks and be careful to follow the instructions. Parents should provide written consent and in the writing document, parents should indicate type and location. Note that youths are impulsive and the impulsiveness leads to poor choices. It is important to understand that teenagers do not have flawed decision-making capacity. They have developmental deficits and therefore they cannot make informed decisions. On the other hand, parents have an improved cognitive and psychosocial capacity that enables them to make informed decisions. Since teenagers believe that tattoos and piercing are a form of self-expression, parents should teach their children about complications such as school failure, sexual activities, violence, and even stigma. (Breuner & David, Para, 24). Note that since teenagers do not have the financial power to put professional tattoos, and therefore they tattoos themselves and others obtain tattoos illegally. Parents will prevent high-risk behavior and other complications by controlling their behaviors and helping them make the right decisions.
Conclusion
Tattoos and piercing are common among teenagers. The research article suggests that tattoos are associated with medical problems and impulsivity-related behaviors such as illicit drug use, unprotected sex, alcohol consumptions, and more. The problems occur as a result of poor choices and lack of parental control. Young teenagers are involved in risk-taking decisions which leads to complications. Young kids are unable to see the short and longer-term complications and the article suggests that parents should be involved in tattooing and piercing to help the children overcome the possible implications. Parents should listen to their children's views about tattooing and they help them understand the risks and complications. They should inform them about the appearance and size, and help them make decisions that will not cause regrets. Note that teenagers put tattoo to express themselves or show the community or their peers that they belong to a certain gang or club. Others put tattoo because they see them as visually appealing. Parents should be involved in decisions making and let them the teenagers know the meaning of tattoos. They should provide factual information and help the kids make healthy decisions.
Work cited
Breuner, Cora C., and David A. Levine. "Adolescent and young adult tattooing, piercing, and
scarification." Pediatrics140.4 (2017).
