About.com

Prom Season Begins

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:14:24 +0000

The flowers are in bloom, the weather is getting warm which means one thing. It's time for Prom.

As you prepare your teen for prom you should also take the time out to talk about drinking and sex. While not too many people are still holding out till prom night to make love for the first time or have their first shot of whiskey, it is still important to discuss with your teen the health risks sex and drinking has on their young bodies.

...

Read Full Post

Study finds abstinence-only education works

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:40:30 +0000

A study published in the Archive of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine that evaluated the efficiency of abstinence-only education in young adolescents found the advice to abstain from sex is a viable preventative method.

...

Read Full Post

New study finds teenage pregnancy rising

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:29:15 +0000

Teenage pregnancy is on the rise according to a recently released study by the Guttmacher Institute, a non-profit organization that conducts research on sexual and reproductive health. According to the report the rate of teenage pregnancies rose 3 percent in 2006 after a ten year decline.

...

Read Full Post

Best Bones Forever - A New Website for Teens and Parents

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:04:50 +0000

With Halloween around the corner, this is a great time to talk about bones! Your teen's bones, that is. The United States Department of Health and Human Services recently launched Best Bones Forever, a website dedicated to educating teen girls and parents about bone growth.

...

Read Full Post

Teen Read Week 2009!

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 11:48:58 +0000

This year the American Library Association is sponsoring a Teen Read Week to highlight the importance of reading in teens' lives. This year the event is being held from October 18 until October 24. Contact your local library to see if they are celebrating Teen Read Week.

...

Read Full Post

Should Your Son Get the HPV Vaccine?

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:13:52 +0000

The US Food and Drug Administration has recently approved the use of the Gardasil vaccine for use in teen males. You might be wondering why, as Gardasil was marketed as the first vaccine to prevent cancer - cervical cancer specifically. Since a boy doesn't have a cervix, why would he need this shot?

...

Read Full Post

Teen ACL Repair? Prepare For More Surgery

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:14:46 +0000

Has your teen had surgery to repair a torn or injured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)? New information from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says that teens who have had an ACL fixed will need further intervention at higher rates than other groups. Doesn't make sense if you think about how young and healthy teens tend to be - or does it?

...

Read Full Post

Greedy Tanning Salons Are Hurting Your Teen

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:56:25 +0000

A recent article in the Los Angeles Times took a look at how tanning salons treat their teen customers. The article covers recent research about how these salons adhere to FDA guidelines and state laws regarding teen tanning. Not surprisingly, those states that have stricter rules had more salons that required written parental consent. Many fewer required a parent to accompany a teen to an appointment - although this is presumably a better indicator of parental consent. It's easy to imagine how a parental consent might not be signed by an actual parent!

...

Read Full Post

Good News, Bad News on Teens and Their Shots

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:44:51 +0000

The September 18 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report had good news and bad news about teen immunizations. The good news is that immunization rates are up for teens - an increase of 10% from 2007 to 2008. The bad news is that only 40% of teens are up-to-date with their shots, specifically the Tdap and meningitis vaccines.

...

Read Full Post

By Popular Demand! Teen Texting Dangers

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:26:15 +0000

A blog post a little while back generated some interest, so it made sense to provide more information on this important topic.

Texting is a relatively new phenomenon, so there are few words of wisdom that grandparents can pass down to parents of teens. I love texting because I can provide short bites of information in an efficient way. On the other hand, texting can have some drawbacks, particularly for teens. Read my newest article on teen texting dangers. Let me know what you think in the Teen Health Forum - is texting a problem for your teen?