The troubled-teen industry is growing at an incredible pace and the internet is the primary reason.

Sadly, not everyone has your child's best interest in mind. It is a sellers market and buyer beware.

Every Child is Precious and many of them have "problems." Much of it is normal teenage behavior that will stop as they mature.

However, if the problems are more serious and you think your child needs some type of program, be it a boot camp, wilderness camp, specialty boarding school, or residential treatment center - have your child evaluated by a licensed mental health care professional in your area.

For the sake of your child, do not put his or her life in the hands of someone you find online.

There are hundreds, possibly thousands of internet sites, all claiming to offer help for troubled kids and hope for desperate families.

Naturally we want to believe that the people who operate programs for troubled teens truly care about our children and are qualified to help them.

But these programs are money making ventures, and like every industry, not everyone is in it for the right reasons.

Because the internet is unregulated, it has become the primary marketing tool for the troubled-teen industry.

In many cases, the first internet site parents find is a marketing or "referrer" site set up by persons claiming to be able to help you find "the right" program for your child.

These "blind" referrals are dangerous and no qualified person would ever give such advice without meeting you and your child in person.