Adolescence - Bright Futures

1 Between the ages of 11 and 21, youradolescent will change in many ways. He will growphysically, mentally,emotionally, and socially. As he goes through this period, he will begin to make his own choicesabout many things, such as studying,working, friends and family, sports,driving, sex, drinking, and smoking. Itwill be important for you to help himlearn how to make wise , Parents, and HealthProfessionals: Partners for HealthUntil now, you ve been responsible for your child shealth. You established relationships with health careproviders and took him to doctor s appointments. Nowthat he is an adolescent, he needs to be more involved inhis own health care. Each of you brings something special to his health adolescent is the one experiencing physical andemotional changes.

2 The health professional knows abouthealth care and development. And you have guidedyour child s health and developmentthroughout his Journey from Childhood to Adult LifeBRIGHT Futures FAMILY TIP SHEETSA dolescence(11 21 Years)Your health professional will want to see youradolescent for regular checkups once a year betweenthe ages of 11 and 21. You can use annual school,sports, or camp physicals for these visits are important. They give your healthprofessional a chance to make sure your adolescent ishealthy and developing as she should. They are a timefor you to ask questions or discuss concerns. And theyare a time when your adolescent can talk privatelyand confidentially with the health these visits, your adolescent will get a physicalexam and screening tests, such as those for hearing,vision, blood pressure, tuberculosis, and sexuallytransmitted diseases (if she is sexually active).

3 Also,she may get one or more of the followingimmunizations: Hepatitis B* Diphtheria, tetanus (Td) Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)* Varicella (Var) or chicken pox* Hepatitis A (in selected areas)* If previously recommended doses were missed or were givenearlier than Professional Visits During Adolescence2 AdolescenceSocial DevelopmentSocial development is your adolescent s growth inconfidence, independence, and positive feelings aboutherself. It is also the way she interacts with others. Hereare some issues to think about as she grows and Your Adolescent Feel Good About Herself Show affection. Praise her efforts and achievements. Respect her need for privacy. Teach her how to deal with stress.

4 Encourage her to set reasonable but challenging goals. Emphasize the importance of school. Show interest inher school activities. Decide together when she is ready to do certain thingson her Good Feelings Within the Family Spend time together doing things you enjoy, likeplaying board games and cooking. Understand that your adolescent may be unwilling toparticipate in family activities. As she tries to becomemore independent, she may challenge your authority. Be flexible in making and enforcing rules. Adjust yourrules as she grows in independence and responsibility. Share responsibility for the family by giving youradolescent household chores. For example, ask your 12-year-old to help wash the dishes.

5 Or ask your 18-year-old to shop for Your Adolescent Feel Good About Others Show her how to get along and work well with others. Encourage her to get involved in group activities, suchas studying with classmates, playing sports, or partic-ipating in after-school activities. Spend time together volunteering. Look foropportunities at local schools, libraries, hospitals, ornursing homes. Talk with her about how to choose friends and havegood relationships. Explore ways to help her deal with peer to Discuss with Your Health Professional Concerns your adolescent may have in making orkeeping friends. Ways to help your adolescent cope with her anger andresolve conflicts without violence.

6 Signs that she is feeling sad or nervous, or that thingsare just not going right. Young adolescents are concernedwith their appearance and the waystheir bodies are changing. Manyare reassured to learn thateveryone s body matures at adifferent pace. Early Adolescence (ages 11 to 14)Physical change is the main eventof this period. Your adolescent shormone levels will rise, bringingabout the changes of puberty. Girlsdevelop pubic hair and breasts, andbegin to menstruate. In boys, thetesticles grow and wet dreamsbegin. Face and pubic hair appearsand their voices deepens. Bothboys and girls may develop acne. Middle Adolescence (ages 15 to 17)Girls usually complete pubertyearlier than boys.

7 Most will bephysically mature by now. Boysmay still be maturing these years, boys rapidlygain muscle mass, strength, andheight, and usually finish the de-velopment of sexual Adolescence (ages 18 to 21)During these years, your adolescentwill complete most of his physicaldevelopment. He may start takingresponsibility for his own will develop the capacity foremotional intimacy, and will focuson achieving independence andcreating a sense of identity as Stages of AdolescenceSafetyAdolescence is a time when young people experimentwith new behaviors. Trying new things helps themdevelop good judgment. It helps them learn to respectlimits. But sometimes they make mistakes or misjudge asituation.

8 So it s important to talk about ways to stay Ahead for Safety Make sure your adolescent has the names and phonenumbers of people to call in case of emergency. Explainwhat to do if there s a fire or accident in your home. When your adolescent goes out, ask where he is going,with whom, and when he will be back. Discuss what heis planning to do. Ask him to call you if his planschange. Discuss his ideas for settling conflicts without safe, constructive ways to express anger. Remove guns from the home or keep them unloadedand locked up. Talk together about the dangers of drugs, tobacco,alcohol, and risky sexual activity. Talking about themshows him that you care and want to help him makegood decisions.

9 (See box Talking to Your AdolescentAbout Hard Issues. ) Help him plan ahead for uncomfortable what he can do if he is in a group wheresomeone is using drugs, under pressure to have sex, oroffered a ride from someone who has been drinking. Remove guns from the home, or keep guns unloadedand locked and Cars: Tips to Reduce Risks Agree on rules for when and where he can use the car. Make an agreement about who can ride with him. Be firm about safe driving rules. For example, be surethat he wears a safety belt and obeys speed limits andtraffic lights. Insist that he never drink and drive. Be a role model. Follow these safe driving practices, discussing safe driving long before he gets hisdriver s to Discuss with Your Health Professional A plan for handling emergencies or injuries.

10 Community alcohol, tobacco, and other drugprevention and treatment programs. Sexual maturity; contraception; prevention of sexuallytransmitted diseases; abstinence; and other issuesrelated to sexuality. 3 Adolescence4 AdolescenceBefore your child entersadolescence, begin talking withhim about drugs, drinking,smoking, and sexual your talks as he movesthrough Adolescence . Ask himwhat he knows and thinks aboutthese issues, and share with himyour beliefs. Most importantly,listen to what he says and try toanswer his questions honestly anddirectly. It may be hard to talkabout these things, but it is veryimportant for your adolescent tofeel that he has someone to talk you can t do it, turn to a healthprofessional or another adult youtrust to help adolescent may face a lot ofpeer pressure to have sex, usedrugs, drink, or smoke.