Taking Care of Myself: Health, Sexuality, and Hygiene

Marsha Sturdevant, MD

The Adolescent Health Center

Children’s of Alabama

What is Resilience??Have you heard this word before?

Resilient people do well in life, even when life is hard.

Can young people LEARN to be resilient, or do you have to be born that way???

Resilient TeenagersGet out into the community

Have at least one adult they can talk to

Have at least one thing about themselves that they are proud of

Getting out in the CommunityVolunteer Work

Clubs

Church, synagogue, faith-based organizations

Sports

Friendships

Trusted AdultsParent, Teacher, Pastor, Counselor, Others….

Communicate!!! Tell the important people in your life what is important to you!!

Listen!!! Find out what is important to the important people in your life

What is Great about ME??Skills

Personality

Features

Stories

Questions? Comments?

What is a ‘healthy lifestyle?’Physical activity to “work up a sweat” 6 days per

week.

Eight to ten hours of sleep every night.

Eating breakfast , lunch, and dinner every day

Eating 5 fruits or vegetables every day

Eating 4 servings of dairy (or substitute if lactose intolerant) every day

What can I do when people treat me younger than I am?Make sure these people know how old you

are.

Tell them exactly what they are doing.

Tell them what you CAN do.

Ask for help when you need it, so that others don’t have to guess what you need.

I get teased a lot. How can I deal with this?People tease for 2 reasons: Fear and PowerPossible approaches need to be discussed

with a Trusted Adult.Ignore—this is hard, and may make you feel

helplessDirect “I refuse to be treated like this.” with

eye contactIndirect- leave the situationIf you think a bully is going to hit you, consider

yelling ‘Fire’, it gets a faster response than ‘Help’

How do I get the most out of doctor’s visits?Consider asking to speak with your doctor by

yourself

Make a list of questions to ask

Be okay with your parents also talking with your doctor by themselves

If you need to talk with a specific member of your medical team (like the lead doctor, or the social worker, or the nutritionist), ask!

Questions? Comments?

What are ‘risk taking behaviors’?

How often should people shower or bathe?

Where do I get information about sex?

What is puberty?The time in every human being’s life when

the body changes from a child’s body to an adult body.

For some, this takes 2-3 years, for others in takes longer

Every part of the body is affected by puberty. All parts of the body get larger.

What are the first signs of Puberty?For girls, breast development is the first

sign of puberty. First menstrual period usually happens 1.5-2yrs after breast development begins and about 6 months after the growth spurt.

For boys, increased size of the testicles is the first sign of puberty. The growth spurt starts later and lasts longer. That’s why, on average, adult men are taller than women, but 6th grade girls are taller than boys.

Questions? Comments?