Traditionally, the dangers of early sex have been regarded as emotional and social. Certainly becoming involved in a sexual relationship and then losing that relationship can cause intense pain to a young, inexperienced adolescent. Getting pregnant at a young age and deciding to keep the baby can seriously threaten a young woman’s health, and limit […]
Behavioral
Good communication with a doctor is vital to a person’s health and can be a challenge in the self-conscious teen years. But you can help your teen in several ways: 1. Urge him/her to be honest with the doctor. Doctors have heard just about everything and aren’t likely to be shocked. Honest answers can be
Teens need to get the message that safe sex needs to be practiced by sexually active people of all ages. Even if your teen is not yet sexually active, and you’d prefer him or her to remain that way, talking about the risks of venereal diseases and prevention tactics can help him or her to
While many teens worry about being overweight, a sizable minority worry about being too skinny. What can your teen do if this is a problem for him or her? 1. Consider your teen’s age, state of development and body type. If your teenager is in the rapid growth stage of development, he may fill out
Could your teen be using or abusing drugs or alcohol? Ask yourself the following questions: 1. Have my teen’s group of friends changed suddenly? 2. Does my teen receive phone calls from people I’ve never heard of before? 3. Is he irritable? 4. Is he having trouble concentrating? 5. Is he getting into fights at
The excruciating big talk about the facts of life, or an embarrassed silence? This is a problem many parents share. And, while sex education ideally starts with honest answers to a child’s first questions at a very young age, it is not too late to start talking now. Forget about the “big talk.” This is
The grim results of sexual irresponsibility are everywhere, not only in unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted disease statistics, but also in emotional upheaval, broken hearts and dreams. How can you raise your teen to be sexually responsible, so that he or she can avoid these risks? 1. De-emphasize the double standard. Don’t restrict daughters while
Beyond the normal amazement of how quickly time can fly, you may have the disquieting feeling that your teenager is growing up just a little “too fast.” Maybe you have a thirteen year old daughter who is dating a high school boy, and going to parties where alcohol is served. Perhaps your fourteen year old
While many teens experiment with a cigarette, alcohol or drugs just once, and others confine their substance use entirely to cigarettes, the trend is toward risk clusters instead of one type of risk taking behavior. Recognizing a risk cluster can help a parent spot early signs of trouble. There are four, well documented risk clusters.
Your teen has colds, headaches, stomach aches and a host of other physical complaints. You may find yourself wondering if he is becoming a hypochondriac! The unique stresses of adolescence can make some teens appear to be hypochondriacs. • First, the physical and life changes in teens cause stress and heightened body awareness, so aches
