Why do teens and preteens behave so promiscuously? How has the smart phone added to another dimension to this behavior? Is there a link physiologically and neurologically? With the advance information accumulated in the neurosciences on the functions of the brain, mind and body, it is plausible that the new addictive phenomena of ‘texting’ and ‘sexting’ among children and teens (as well as adults) has its foundations in the rudimentary functions of the somatosensory areas of the brain.
Brain Circuitry
Neuroscientists have ample knowledge about the brain having mapped portions of it utilizing MRI’s, CT scans and technology to ascertain the correlation between the geographical space the brain covers with the correspondent behavior, emotions, thoughts and sensations. In this pursuit, the primary somatosensory area (the main sensory receptive areas of the brain for the sense of touch) parallels four areas of the body: the tongue, lips, thumb and genitalia. Areas of this region are responsible for movement and exchange of sense and motor information (like sensitivity, cold, heat, pain, etc). When the massive geographic size of these sensory and/or motor areas of the cortex are depicted to its corresponding body parts, the graphic below of Dr. Wilder Penfield’s grotesque human with its disproportionate parts illustrates the results of the brain size correspondence: 
The somatosensory system comprises a diverse range of brain receptors and processing centers that produce the perception of touch, temperature, proprioception (indicates whether the body is moving with the required effort, as well as where the various parts of the body are located in relation to each other), and nociception (detects the mechanical, thermal or chemical changes above a certain threshold producing pain). Receptors are located throughout the body including the skin, epithelia, internal organs, skeletal muscles, bones, and joints. The skin receptors project, in an orderly fashion, onto the spinal cord, and from there, to different pathways of the thalamus and then to the primary somatosensory cortex.
The Result
The propensity for stimulating these massive areas of the brain, begin instinctively. Through ultrasound, thumb sucking has been observed in pre-natals just after 15 weeks of gestation. The child begins to suck the thumb with one hand while stroking the penis with the other hand/thumb. This activates the nerve endings and neurons towards growth, stimulation and extends outwards to include the olfactory (smell), taste and touch. Even though the child naturally gravitates to massaging these areas, breast-feeding or lactation also stimulates them (these activities are hindered by sociological factors discouraging public display as well as marketing infant bottles and formulas). The advantages to nursing and/or thumb sucking include health, nutritional, immunologic, developmental, psychological, sociologic, economic, and environmental benefits. As the child suckles, smelling the mother’s skin, tasting her milk, massaging the tongue with the nipple, touching her body, listening to her heart, rubbing against her body and watching her face and eyes, these actions trigger vital neurological activities that later lead to healthy societal behaviors. Once these neurological centers are activated during this preverbal stage, they continue to grow and multiple throughout life.
Modern Behavior
What happens to the child born into Western culture? When any aspect of brain development is hampered or thwarted by external hindrances, the growth engine seeks stimulation from whatever source it can find, healthy, satisfying or otherwise.
LIPS/TONGUE: Breast feeding stimulates the genitals naturally, as well as the tongue, lips and thumb. The infant instead of being allowed to such the thumb or nurse from the breast is offered the pacifier and bottle. Each of these synthetic products has a hard, immoveable surface made of a rubber, plastic, or silicone nipple, which does not stimulate the sensitive nerves on the tongue and lips as the soft skin of the breast or thumb.
The history of the pacifier goes back to the 19th century as a teething ring and comforter and was transformed in the 1900’s by Platex (the binky). During the 1950’s, the American Dental Association and the Association of Pediatric Dentists was the primary motivator for discouraging children from sucking their thumbs for fear of deforming teeth, tongue thrusting and bite (which happens rarely and with extenuating circumstances).
The bottle was introduced in the 1940-50’s in glass to allow mothers the freedom to work in the factories during the war without the need to nurse the child on demand. (While infant formula is highly regulated, baby bottles are not. Elijah Pratt of New York patented the first rubber teat in 1845. It took until the 1900s before the technology was perfected for a practical soft teat. In addition, plastics were introduced as pacifiers and bottles emitting toxic chemicals harmful to developing baby.) To supply the bottle, instead of mother’s milk or cow’s milk, synthetic formulas were developed that were marketed as comprising of the same ingredients found in mother’s milk, which is now known to be false, like evaporated milk with Maltose and dextrins. Infant formulas contain purified cow’s milk whey and casein or soybeans as a protein source, a blend of vegetable oils as a fat source, lactose as a carbohydrate source, a vitamin-mineral mix, and other ingredients depending on the manufacturer. The added benefit to mother’s milk (scientists are still unsure of its chemical contents which does not change over time) especially during the first hours after delivery is that the milk contains antibodies that will support the immune system for the rest of the child’s life. Baby bottles are discouraged today by the World Health Organization and the National Institute of Health.
CONSEQUENCES OF THWARTING BREAST FEEDING:
Utilizing synthetic products during critical periods of brain evolution thwart the stimulation and therefore natural development of neurological portions related to tongue, lips, genitals and thumb. Behaviors, natural patterns and rhythms are altered. For example, instead of the child feeding when hungry and learning the natural ‘feeling’ of being hungry, the child is placed on a schedule conducive to mother working. Rather than ‘feeding on demand’ the process became ‘demand on feeding’. This led to children entering Day Cares and the separation of mother and child, abandonment issues and related bonding issues, began. Something must fill the void.
As a consequence, obsessions and addictions increased. Sigmund Freud’s ORAL FIXATIONS (a hunger for activities that involve the mouth) intensified with the decline in breast feeding: prescription drugs use, non-prescription drugs, smoking, drinking (from bottles?), over eating, snacking and obesity, sugar and salt cravings (stimulated by infant formulas), using oral substitutes for nursing, love and affection at birth. Modern children experiment sexually, with oral sex and French kissing at younger ages. Inappropriate, extended use of pacifiers and bottles contribute to muzzling, the inability to learn communication skills, articulate thoughts and feelings and ask appropriate questions. To add to this, the plastics used in these products are highly toxic to the child and its future development.
THUMB: An animal species is said to have opposable thumbs if the thumb is capable of bending in such a way that it can touch all the other digits on the hand. Most species do not have opposable thumbs. Opposable thumbs are a signature feature of the primate family, and played a large role in the ancient humans’ invention and use of tools.
The power grip is when the fingers (and sometimes palm) clamp down on an object with the thumb makes counter pressure. Examples of the power grip are gripping a hammer, opening a jar using both your palm and fingers, and during pullups.
The precision grip is when the intermediate and distal phalanges (“fingertips”) and the thumb press against each other. Examples of a precision grip are writing with a pencil, opening a jar with the fingertips alone, and gripping a ball (as long as it’s not tight against your palm).
Opposable thumbs are shared by many primates. A transitional form living about 47 million years ago, had opposable thumbs, providing a grip useful for climbing and gathering fruit. The evolution of the fully opposable or prehensile thumb is usually associated with Homo habilis, the forerunner of Homo sapiens.
The most important factors leading to the hand (and its thumb) are:
The freeing of the hands from their walking requirements—still so crucial for apes today, as they have hands for feet, which in its turn was one of the consequences of the gradual adoption of the erect bipedal walking gait
The simultaneous development of a larger anthropoid brain in the later stages
Walking may have been a by-product of busy hands and not vice versa. The opposable thumb has helped the human species develop more accurate fine motor skills. It is also thought to have directly led to the development of tools, not just in humans or their evolutionary ancestors, but other primates as well. The opposable thumb ensured that important human functions such as writing were possible. The thumb, in conjunction with the other fingers, makes human hands and those of other species with similar hands some of the most dexterous in the world.
CONSEQUENCES: Consequence of the child touching and ‘mouthing’ objects is to develop an understanding, sensitivity, perception and perspective of the environment from a variety of reference points. However, modern medicine and hygiene dictates a sterile environment for children (as if plastic toys are the epitome of sterility). When the child is discouraged from touching things, using the thumb, that are attractive and unharmful, putting things in the mouth, the knowledge of the external environment sensually diminishes as well as the dimensional qualities thwarted (such as spatial orientation, depth perception). The tactile senses are stifled and grow dimmer over time. The thumb works in collaboration of the other ‘touch’ sensors- tongue, lips and genitals.
Modern individuals seek the stimulation of the thumbs through ‘texting’ as well as video game hand held controls and TV remotes. All of these objects are one dimensional, flat, hard, cold, non-stimulating, smooth, plastic and present no tactile opportunity for exploration. Rather, the neurological connection is a ‘simulated’ one and lacks the necessary connectedness for brain development. If the thumbs were throwing an object in the air, holding another hand, crocheting, digging in the ground and presented with unique, textured experiences, the sensory circuits would be modified and growth provoking.
GENITALIA:
Not only are children discouraged from massaging genitalia, hands in diapers and masturbating as babies and children, (which is a comfort seeking, identity seeking experience extended from the womb) but somehow this has been linked to religious, societal and cultural anti-social behavior. In other words, it’s wrong. Little girls who rock on their legs, boys with hands in diapers are frowned upon by society. Yet, this is as natural as yawning.
Children are discouraged from touching themselves, learning about their bodies in the process and exploration of their sexual bodies as a carry over from ancient religious customs and beliefs. In the age of information, it is important for a child to become familiar, ask questions at an early age and learn about these matters from parents not peers and media.
Some conservative estimates are that 95% of infant males are circumcised annually or 1.25 million. The numbers of complications from these procedures is about 10% or 6.6 million males. In truth, the complication rate is 100% because shorn of its normal functioning foreskin, the circumcised penis is denuded, desensitized and deprived of the physiological functions of the foreskin regardless of the ‘complications’ that accompany amputation. Although female circumcision in the US was viewed and performed as ‘medically valid’ as late as the 1950’s, it is still done by some immigrants (for cultural reasons) and care facilities (like insane asylums). Globally, females circumcised are estimated at 100 million. Whether boy or girl, domestic or abroad, sexual mutilation of children is condoned in various countries as a religious rite. Yet, many children who suffer at the hands of physicians and other intrusive agents for the sake of custom and ritual become the sexual deviants in society. Whether it is circumcision or the custom of cutting female genitalia, these rights are outmoded and cause irreparable damage as well as pain and suffering to children (and adults). To compound the problem, the sensitive areas of the child’s skin in the groin, genital and anal areas are additionally desensitized by plastic diapers, rubbing lotions and alcohol rubs.
CONSEQUENCES
When genitalia are numb, the massive area of the brain that needs stimulation seeks it from more extreme and edgy sources in order to be aroused and generate endorphins.
Male circumcision for religious reasons needs to catch up with modern scientific data. When one looks at the rise in sexual offenses and gender of sexual offenders for rape, assault, pedophilia, extramarital affairs, bullying and aggressive behavior, the majority are perpetrated by males. There is substantial argument regarding the above practices to contribute to dissatisfaction in sexual intimacy. In addition to numbing the sensitive areas of the penis (needing to be over-stimulated in order to feel and have sensation), many boys are mutilated by physicians who rotely and routinely cut the foreskin and often other parts as well.
CONCLUSION: Is it any wonder that these issues are on the rise: sexually transmitted diseases, vaginal and oral sex among young children, teen pregnancies and abortions, raping and abducting young children, sex trafficking of minors and internet pornography of infants, children and teens, a multi-billion dollar industry. Why are we shocked with the escalation of these sexual perversions in our society yet accept and condone of portions it in the media, in fashion and behavior? Is it any wonder then that ‘texting’ has become ‘sexting’ with young children and teens, that while their thumbs are moving at the speed of light, their tongues are moving either inside their mouths or out and the text has now extended itself to the sexual realm? It all makes sense when one understands that the cultural and social stigma for the natural order- breast feeding, sucking the thumb, playing with genitals as children- has been thwarted and the engine driving this is the large brain mass that is in need of stimulation in order to thrive.
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