Healthy Teens

After decades of declining teen smoking rates in Canada, a new wave of nicotine and stimulant products — from vapes to nicotine and caffeine pouches — is finding its way to young people. Canada now has one of the highest rates of youth vaping in the world, and the full health risks are still unknown. Dr. Nicholas Chadi sits down with Dr. Tea Rosic to unpack what's driving the trend, what the emerging products actually do to developing brains, and what parents, educators, and teens themselves can do about it.

Guest: Dr. Tea Rosic is a child and adolescent psychiatrist at CHEO and clinician investigator at the CHEO Research Institute in Ottawa. Her work focuses on the development, prevention, and management of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders in young people.

Resources:

• Quash App — Free app to help teens make changes to their nicotine and vaping habits. Available on iOS and Android.
• Talking with your teen about vaping (Caring for Kids)
• Cannabis: What parents need to know (Caring for Kids)
• Consider the consequences of vaping (Government of Canada)

Episode Summary:
Host Dr. Nicholas Chadi speaks with Dr. Gary Goldfield about social media and how it impacts teen body image and mental health. Practical tips for identifying red flags and finding healthy alternatives are discussed.
 

People:

• Dr. Nicholas Chadi—host and paediatrician specialized in adolescent medicine
• Dr. Gary Goldfield—Senior Scientist at the CHEO Research Institute and a Professor of paediatrics at the University of Ottawa. His research focuses on how physical activity, screen time, and lifestyle factors affect eating behaviors, weight, and mental health in children and youth.

Key Takeaways:

• Heavy use of social media (more than more than 2 hours per day) is linked with lower body image and self esteem
• Younger teens and girls are disproportionately affected by the harms associated with social media
• Parents can engage their teen to understand what needs social media is meeting for them and discuss healthy non-screen alternatives

This is the final episode in a three-part series on screen use in teens. Links to the earlier episodes on cyberbullying and screen use and mental health can be found below

·       From Schoolyard to Screen: Bullying in a digital world

·       The Bottomless Scroll: Screen use and teen mental health

Additional Resources:

• Canadian Pediatric Society’s Center for Healthy Screen Use: healthyscreenuse.cps.ca
• From Dr. Goldfield and the CHEO Research Institute: Cutting social media back to one hour a day boosts mental health and sleep in youth

Healthy Teens is brought to you by the Canadian Paediatric Society. Send comments or episode ideas to [email protected] with the subject line "Healthy Teens."

Episode Summary:
Host Dr. Nicholas Chadi speaks with Dr. Emma Duerden about whether increased teen screen time is connected to rising anxiety and depression. Practical tips for identifying problematic use and managing screen use as a family are covered.

People:

• Dr. Nicholas Chadi—host and paediatrician specialized in adolescent medicine
• Dr. Emma Duerden—Canada Research Chair in Neuroscience and Learning Disorders at Western University

Key Takeaways:

• Excessive screen use (more than 2-3 hours per day) is a risk factor for anxiety and depression in teens
• Interrupted sleep and daily activities, and behavioural changes like increased irritability, aggression are red flags for problematic screen use
• The issues around screen use and social media are beyond individual or family fixes. Increased digital literacy in schools, public health awareness and legislation, and safer products are all key to making screen use safer for kids and teens..

Additional Resources:

• Canadian Pediatric Society’s Center for Healthy Screen Use: healthyscreenuse.cps.ca
• Safer Online Spaces: An advocacy movement to make the Internet safer for kids
• The Developing Brain Lab (Western University)
• Blog post: Navigating tech with toddlers, kids, and teens
• From Schoolyard to Screen: Bullying in a digital world

Episode Summary:
This episode explores the complex issue of cyberbullying among teens, covering its prevalence, impact, and unique challenges. Expert guest Dr. Tracy Vaillancourt provides practical advice for parents, educators, and peers. 

People:

• Dr. Nicholas Chadi—host and paediatrician specialized in adolescent medicine
• Dr. Tracy Vaillancourt—Canada Research Chair in Youth Mental Health and Violence Prevention at the University of Ottawa

Key Takeaways:

• Bullying, including cyberbullying, has serious and lasting effects on youth.
• Creating a supportive environment at home and maintaining open conversations about bullying are key.
• Peers and bystanders play a powerful role in either reinforcing or reducing bullying.
• Adults—parents, teachers, coaches—can make a difference by being proactive, supportive, and open-minded.

Resources Mentioned:

• Canadian Pediatric Society’s Center for Healthy Screen Use: healthyscreenuse.cps.ca

Summary:

In this episode of Healthy Teens, host Dr. Nicholas Chadi explores the growing phenomenon of eco-anxiety among teens and young adults. With the impacts of climate change becoming more immediate and severe, many young people in Canada are experiencing anxiety, sadness, and even despair about the future. Dr. Chadi is joined by two expert guests to discuss what eco-anxiety is, how it affects youth, and practical ways families and communities can support young people in turning anxiety into action.

Guests:

• Dr. Robert Selles – Registered clinical psychologist and author of Anxiety Canada’s resources on eco-anxiety.
• Dr. Anna Gunz – Paediatric intensive care physician and founding medical director of Ontario’s Children’s Environmental Health Clinic.

Takeaway Messages:

• Eco-anxiety is a valid and reasonable response to real environmental threats.
• Small actions and community connections can help mitigate anxiety with hope and purpose.
• Parents and caregivers can support teens by validating their feelings and exploring solutions together.
• Every small step counts—no one can be perfect or do everything at once.

Resources mentioned:

• Anxiety Canada's resources for eco-anxiety: https://www.anxietycanada.com/resources-for-eco-anxiety/
• Land Based Healing | Nature for Healing: https://www.lhsc.on.ca/chehc/land-based-healing-nature-for-healing