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Adolescence (13 to 19 years)

Health
Nutrition
Puberty & Development
Relationships
Discipline

Social Media

Physical

  • Annual doctor’s appointment (what to expect):

    • Evaluation for:

      • blood pressure

      • weight

      • height

      • vision

      • hearing

      • eating disorders

      • depression

      • scoliosis

    • Testing of blood and urine for certain diseases and conditions

    • Vaccinations depending on age

  • Immunization

    • By the age of 13, your teen should have already received the following immunizations:

      • Chickenpox (varicella) vaccine

        • needed only if they have not had chickenpox

      • Measles, Mumps, & Rubella (MMR) vaccine

        • prevents these infections which can lead to more severe illnesses

      • Hepatitis A (HAV) vaccine series

        • HAV can lead to community-wide epidemics

      • Hepatitis B (HBV) vaccine series

        • HBV affects the liver; those infected can become lifelong carriers of the virus which may lead to long-term problems including cirrhosis (liver disease) or liver cancer

      • Meningococcal vaccine

        • protects against meningococcal disease which can lead to meningitis and other serious infections

      • Human Papillomavirus vaccine (HPV)

        • an STD that can cause genital warts and some types of cancers

      • Tetanus, Diphtheria, & Acellular Pertussis booster (Tdap)

        • to prevent these diseases and whooping cough

    • Immunization chart:

Mental

  • Eating Disorders

    • ≈ 30% of teens have an eating disorder

    • Anorexia – refusing to consume the proper number of calories to lose weight

      • Signs:

        • obsessively recording calories consumed

        • hiding/discarding food

        • compulsive/excessive exercise

        • extreme weight loss

        • withdrawal from relationships and social activities

        • dizziness or fainting

        • strange eating habits/rituals

    • Bulimia – binging large amounts of food followed by vomiting, fasting, or the use laxatives

      • Signs:

        • consuming unusually large amounts of food with no noticeable weight change

        • frequent trips to the restroom after meals

        • inappropriate use of laxatives

        • excessive exercise and/or fasting

        • weakness/fatigue

    • How to help:

  • Depression

    • ≈ 20% of teens have depression

    • Signs:

      • loss of interest in activities

      • sadness, anger, irritability

      • withdrawal from relationships and social activities

      • lack of motivation or energy

      • suicidal thoughts, talking/joking about suicide

      • reckless behavior

      • giving away personal possessions

    • How to help:

      • encourage social interaction/participating in extracurriculars

      • take time to talk one on one each day

      • seek professional help especially if it is more severe

        • do not forget to listen to your teen’s input on what he or she prefers in terms of treatment

        • medication may be prescribed depending on severity

  • growth spurt = surge in appetite

    • average amount of calories required per day:

      • girls: ≈ 2,200 calories

      • boys: ≈ 2,800 calories

  • most teens fall short of getting daily amounts of certain vitamins and minerals: calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamin D

    • preferable to be obtained from food over dietary supplements

  • good sources for nutrients are best found in:

    • proteins

      • chicken, eggs, beef, pork, fish, etc.

    • carbohydrates

      • pasta, bread, rice, potatoes, etc.

    • fats

      • monosaturated fats – olive oil, nuts, peanut butter, avocados, etc.

      • polyunsaturated fats – fish, walnuts, sunflower seeds, corn oil, etc.

      • try to limit saturated fats – found in most meat and dairy products

        • contains more cholesterol

  • many teens end up skipping breakfast

    • reasons to eat breakfast:

      • provides energy to start the day

      • improves concentration which can lead to better grades in school

      • studies show that those who eat breakfast often have a healthier weight

  • easy snacks that improve brain power:

    • blueberries, nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, dark chocolate

  • recipes for healthy meals and snacks your teen may enjoy: Click Here​

  • It's best to begin talking to your child about puberty around the age of 8

  • Do not be afraid to go to your child first

  • Try to be as open as possible

    • even though you may feel uncomfortable discussing this, your child will most likely be feeling the same if not more

      • having confidence on the subject is helpful, so doing research before will help you be more prepared when going into the conversation

  • Girls:

    • most will get their first period at around 12 or 13, but some may get theirs as early as 9 or as late as 16

  • Boys:

    • usually begin puberty around 10 or 11

Dating

  • Make sure to talk to your teen about what makes a good relationship

  • Set reasonable rules on dating for your teen

  • When your teen starts dating, try to be supportive of him or her and respectful to the date

    • trust that your teen has learned from you what a healthy relationship is and can make his/her own decisions

Sex

  • Talk about safe sex and its importance

    • use of condoms, birth control

  • Make sure they are aware of possible outcomes like STDs and pregnancy

  • CONSENT

    • yes/no must be spoken

    • ok to say no

    • not giving in to pressure

  • Discipline is not necessarily punishment, it is teaching right from wrong and their outcomes as well

  • Set rules/limits the promote responsibility and maturity

    • make sure that they are reasonable and do not seem overbearing

    • work together to set clear rules and consequences that are agreed on

  • Drugs & Alcohol

    • when talking to your teen about drug and alcohol use, be as open as you can

      • if you seem comfortable and open with the topic, they will be more comfortable and open with you

    • when discussing the consequences that can come from drug and alcohol use, do not forget to also talk about the benefits that can come from being smart about them like better performance in school and extracurricular activities

  • Stress importance of setting privacy settings

  • If they are younger it’s a good idea to have passwords to accounts

    • if they’re older it will be seen more as an invasion of privacy to them

      • try to find a balance between monitoring and giving them the space they will want

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