Welcome to the SpineKIDS.com Message Exchange where you can speak your mind and help others who share your experience. We ask that before you enter the exchange, you read these tips on keeping yourself safe online.

The Internet can be an unsafe place. We at SpineKIDS have done everything in our power to make this site as safe as possible, but we need your help too.

SpineKIDS doesn't include any private messaging or allow email communication to protect your privacy.

Please be smart and play safe online. Here are some rules to follow to keep yourself safe:

1. Consult your parent or guardian before you give anyone on the Internet your name, address or ANY other personal details, including your school, your picture or info about your friends or family.
2. If someone writes something rude or something that makes you uncomfortable, don't respond and report the post to a moderator.
3. Always ask your parent or guardian before you fill out any forms or enter any contests. Many safe sites will require a permission slip from your parents to participate.
4. Keep your passwords a secret ALWAYS. Don't even let your best friend know.
5. If you get to a point where want to meet someone that you've only communicated with online, make sure a parent or another adult goes with you and always make sure to meet in a public place.
6. We want you to have fun online, especially at SpineKIDS. Just follow common sense, if something or someone sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

And remember, meeting people online might be fun, but the people you meet may not be who they say they are. Someone you think is a 14-year old girl could easily be a 45-year old man.