Think steroids are for teens? Well, think again. A recent survey found that kids as young as ten (fifth graders!) are taking illegal steroids to do better in sports. And it isn’t just boys who are partaking: use among middle-school girls is almost as prevalent as it is among boys (2.8 percent of boys and 2.6 percent of girls are using). Health professionals and educators alike are alarmed -- and parents should be too. Steroids can harm the liver, stunt growth and cause a host of other long-term ailments, but young bodies are particularly vulnerable. That’s exactly why we should start talking to our kids about the dangers of steroids at a much younger age. And there is no time better than now.

If you haven’t heard, Barry Bonds just tied the home run record. This is the perfect opportunity to start up the “steroid talk” with your kids. Whether Bonds did or didn’t use muscle-building enhancers shouldn’t be the key point; instead, focus your conversation on “Should he or shouldn’t he?”

Here are a few ways to talk about steroids, along with some parenting tips to help you navigate yet another worrisome subject with your children.

*Open up the steroid dialogue. Don’t wait for your kid to come to you. “Hey Mom, can we talk about steroids?” probably isn’t going to be the reality. Open up that conversation with your child by the time he or she reaches fourth grade. Remember, fifth graders are now indulging, so get a year start. Just tailor your talk to their level. Remember, one talk isn’t going to do it. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

*Use real-world events. Cut out an article about Barry Bonds and use it as your conversation opener: “Do you think he should make the Hall of Fame if they find out he took steroids?” “Do you think he knows what the long-term damage could be on his body?” “What are you friends saying?”

*Do your homework. If you want to talk steroids you better be one step ahead of your kid. Read up on the dangers so you can talk facts and knowledge. If you aren’t getting through, enlist the help of your doctor or child’s coach. Useful sites include: www.steroidabuse.org; www.usantidoping.org; www.hormone.org/learn/abuse.html.

*Discuss the health dangers. There are clear health risks that your child needs to know. Here are just a few: severe acne, loss of hair, liver abnormalities (including peliosis hepatitis or blood-filled cysts), increase in the harmful kind of cholesterol, rage, angry outbursts or uncontrolled aggressive behavior, increase in blood clots, and high blood pressure. The results really aren’t back yet on real long-term effects of steroid use — especially on young bodies.

*Look for doping signs: increased acne, a deeper voice, increased facial or body hair; more aggressive behavior, a marked change in personality, a fast increase in weight and muscle mass, a preoccupation with weights and working out.

*Monitor your computer. The majority of kids buy anabolic steroids and other so-called performance-enhancement supplements at home straight off the Internet. Set clear parameters on Internet use, and know which sites your child frequents. Many kids say that they buy drugs from local distributors at private gyms or even from youth coaches. Stay tuned to what ‘s going on in your kid’s life.

*Examine your kid’s wallet. Steroids can be pricey—even a few hundred dollars. So check that savings account for any sudden big withdrawals. Also look to brothers and sisters (and unsuspecting grandparents) as the loan sources. And monitor your credit card activity.

*Downplay appearance and popularity. Steroids can help enhance muscle definition (which is all the rage in those body-building magazines many of our kids devour), so downplay physical appearance in your home. Find ways to build your kid’s self-image from the “inside-out” so he doesn’t rely on muscle mass as his own source of personal pride.

*Share your views. Many kids actually feel their parents are accepting of steroids. Why? Well, it seems one of the biggest reasons kids take steroids is to please their parents. If you’ve been stressing over that college scholarship or focused on winning at any cost or constantly talking about how proud you are that she’s such an athlete (“The Olympics are right around the corner, darling”), then bite your tongue. Your child needs to know (and pronto) why you think steroids are wrong (think this one through carefully so you do create a strong, powerful case), and what your family values are (push the fact that this is also cheating, lying and deception).

Just as parents are the best antidotes for drugs, they are also the best hope for stopping the deadly and fast-rising trend towards steroid use. Let the media frenzy around Barry Bonds serve as your opportunity to start the steroid talk. What are you waiting for?

Dr. Michele Borba is the author of Nobody Likes Me, Everybody Hates Me: The Top 25 Friendship Problems and How to Solve Them.