Today's Tweens & Teens and Technology

C&R Research recently published a report about two live research sessions with teen (n=63) and preteen (n=58) participants. The results were disturbing at several levels. First, only half of the participants reported reading in their free time. Second, two out of three tween boys play video games everyday. Finally, in spite of all the sources that encourage families to keep computers in public areas, 22% of tweens and 47% of teens have computers with Internet access in their bedrooms.

These facts should encourage all parents as well as schools to make sure that media literacy and Internet safety are discussed at home and in classrooms. Tweens and teens need to know how to be safe while visiting social network sites and encouraged to develop interests that are not all technology-related.

Photo Credit: Steven Parker

Labels: Media, Online/Internet Safety

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Shaving Pubic Hair

Guest Writer: Leigha Winters, college student

With puberty come many changes, including increased body hair and the development of underarm hair for teens. For many people, this is the time that they begin to depilate, or remove body hair. The most common body areas depilated are the underarms, legs, pubic area, eyebrows and face for females; and the face, abdomen, back, chest, groin and legs for males. Shaving is the most common method used for the underarms, legs and pubic area.

Pubic shaving actually originated in ancient Egypt and Greece when prostitutes had to shave for both hygienic reasons and as a clear sign of their profession. In the United States, however, pubic hair removal only recently gained popularity. Although female body shaving was established as the norm between 1915 and 1945, pubic hair removal did not gain a strong foothold until the 1980s when bikini bathing suits began to reveal more of the pubic area. With this trend came increased pressure to avoid revealing pubic hair by removing it. Pubic area shaving then became popular in the Bondage, Domination and Sadomasochism (BDSM) community because it creates a sense of vulnerability and secret submission. This idea of a hairless pubic area was then incorporated into the adult film industry. Many porn movies included BDSM scenes, and non-BDSM actors began to maintain a hairless pubic area as a way of conveying a sense of vulnerability, secrecy and visual stimulation. Today, as the general public views more of these porn movies, they mimic what they see. In this way, pubic hair shaving has become mainstream.

Shaving the pubic area has become much more common, even desirable, among teenagers. Although shaving may be becoming the social norm, that does not mean you should do it. Shaving is a personal choice. There can be health consequences associated with any type of depilation: shaving, waxing, clipping, tweezing, threading or laser treatment. Your pubic area is especially sensitive to these hair-removal techniques. If you do decide to shave your pubic area, you should know that shaving of any kind can have some health consequences.

Possible Consequences

• Itching
• Razor burn
• Nicks
• Cuts
• Bumps
• Blisters/Pimples
• Genital infections
• Ingrown hairs
• Folliculitis: an infection in the hair follicle usually caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus (staph) or a fungus.

*A common cause of folliculitis is recently shaved hairs re-growing out of the follicle and curling back around to irritate the skin.

It is also important to realize that if you’re planning on keeping your pubic area smooth and hairless, you will need to shave regularly, even daily. You should consider if this is worth the trouble; what is appealing now may not be after four or five weeks of daily shaving. In addition to being time-consuming, the maintenance can be costly since you need to invest in special shaving equipment and care like a new razor, female shaving cream,* baby oil and/or aloe vera cream.

If you have already tried shaving and are experiencing any of the above problems, there are general treatment procedures to help. However, these are not comprehensive, and if you are having any serious problems, you should consult your medical provider.

Aside from knowing about health consequences, there are some “myths” in which to be aware.

Shaving “Myths”

• Hair will grow back faster. FALSE. After shaving, hair will not grow back any faster or slower than it did before you started shaving; you will probably just notice the changes more.
• Hair will become thicker. FALSE. Your body has a set number of hair follicles, and no new ones are created after you shave. This means that there won’t be more hairs, and the hairs also will not be any thicker than they were before you started shaving.
• Shaving always creates ingrown hairs. FALSE. Every body is different, and every person is susceptible to ingrown hairs to a different extent. Some people get more ingrown hairs than others. This still does not mean that you will get ingrown hairs every time you shave. Furthermore, there are practices and products that can help reduce the occurrences of ingrown hairs, like scrubbing the area with a loofah or shaving in the direction of hair growth.
• Shaving your pubic area will get rid of crabs and other STIs. FALSE. Pedicularis pubis, commonly known as ‘crabs’ or public lice, is highly infective and is transmitted through sexual contact. If you have not been treated for an infection, shaving will not eradicate the lice. Furthermore, shaving will not protect you from getting other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

*Female shaving cream is recommended for both male and female pubic shaving as all products are more mild and gentle than almost any type of male shaving cream. Also, male shaving creams are often perfumed, which will cause stinging and irritation when applied to the pubic area.

Photo Credit: rezsox

Labels: Shaving

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4th Annual Conference About Best Practices in Bullying Prevention

The 4th Annual Conference about Best Practices in Bullying Prevention will be held in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida November 5th-8th, 2007. Stop Bullying Now puts forth the following steps to reduce bullying in your school, based in art on Limber, S.P. (2004), What works and doesn't work in bullying prevention and intervention. Student Assistance Journal, 16-19.

• Focus on the social environment of the school.
• Assess bullying at your school using an anonymous questionnaire.
• Get staff and parents to support bullying prevention.
• Form a group (with parents, staff, teacher, and counselor) to coordinate the school's bullying prevention activities.
• Provide training for school staff in bullying prevention.
• Establish and enforce school rules and policies related to bullying.
• Increase adult supervision in places kids get bullied.
• Intervene consistently and appropriately when you see bullying.
• Devote some class time to bullying prevention.
• Continue these efforts over time, as part of the school environment.

Resources
The Bullying Module for grades 4-6
International Bullying Prevention Association
Stop Bullying Now

Photo Credit: WTL Photos

Labels: Bullying

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Congress Extends Funding for Abstinence Education

Recently House members voted 291-126 to extend the Title V Community-Based Abstinence Education funding through September 30 after the program lapsed June 30 when the House failed to act on the measure, which is tied to the Transitional Medical Assistance Medicaid program, that helps poor families, and enjoys bipartisan support. In addition to extending the program, the legislation increased the funding, in spite of the recommendation from a Senate appropriations committee to cut the funding.

I cannot tell you how disappointed I am with House members who apparently do not read research or talk to parents or teens, all of which would tell them that abstinence-only education does not work to prevent pregnancy, disease, or sexual activity.

Elsewhere in the country, there is hope in people like MA Gov. Deval Patrick who has refused to take abstinence-only federal money that would not allow MA to provide full and comprehensive sexuality education.

Parents, call your representatives, and school districts - understand the policy about sexuality education and let your voice be heard! It is completely ridiculous that Valerie Huber of the National Abstinence Education Association can say that abstinence education enjoys two-to-one support among parents.

Photo Credit: dbking

Labels: Sexuality Education

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Summer Slugs: How Much Sleep Do Teens Need?

Gracious, what is a parent to do! Another morning watching my teens drag themselves from slumber barely before noon, having gone to bed at 11 PM the night before. Another discussion about getting enough exercise, eating fruit with their breakfast, remembering their vitamins, doing a little required summer reading or Latin grammar homework, and planning a family activity for the day in addition to what they want to do, which is read, jump on the trampoline, play with the dog, and lounge around with friends.

Granted, there has been activity during our three months of summer. We have taken a wonderful vacation, the eldest is leaving for a two-week Japanese immersion camp soon, and we will do a week-long community service trip next week. We have even nicknamed this summer the "summer of responsibility" because both kids (12 and 15) have learned how to do the laundry, have done chores every day including taking the trash and recycling out, vacuuming, walking the dog (twice), dusting, doing dishes, and making some of their own meals, but neither one cleans up the dog poop without being asked or knows how to clean a bathroom, yet.

I am frustrated with the lack of enthusiasm about all the activities we are not doing together, and wonder if they would be better off if I had demanded the eldest work a little, and the youngest attend at east a day camp for a week or two. I am not trusting that all this resting is really justified by the intensity of our school year, which is the excuse I get when I probe into why they need 12 hours of sleep a night and activities requiring very little motion is all they seem to want to do. When I do get them to the beach, or on day trips with visiting friends and relatives, they seem perfectly happy and content to be out in the world, but left to their own devices, I get slug-o-rama!

Where are the parenting experts when I need one? I tend to suggest activities, some of which have been accepted- a little beading, some cooking or baking, crafts, art, a card game or ten, and a couple of really long walks - but it is like pulling teeth. I try to take my own advice and let them take responsibility for planning some of our days, or portions of the day, but I feel the social pressure to keep them busy, build a college resume, encourage them to work of study skills, get ready for the school year, talk to me about meaningful issues, clean out their drawers, read a newspaper to get the perspective of someone, anyone, outside of themselves, but the usual results are I throw in the towel, work a little, garden, or curl up with a good book myself - what a total (comfortable, cozy, relaxing) waste of time.

Thanks for listening and as always, any advice is appreciated.

Photo Credit: dbruiz123

Labels: Sleep

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Condoms Prevent STDs: Duh!

A recent study reported in the American Journal of Public Health (2007; 97(6):1090-1095) found that adolescents who use condoms the first time they have sexual intercourse are less likely to have chlamydia and gonorrhea seven years later, and were no more likely to have more sexual partners than adolescents who did not use condoms at first intercourse.

The study including more than 4,000 teenagers who completed interviews about their sexual behavior over a 6-to-8 year period. Participants were also tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea seven years into the study. Of those teens who were sexually active during the study, 62% reported using a condom the first time they had sexual intercourse and those who used a condom were half as likely to have a sexually transmitted disease seven years later. All sexually active teens reported approximately five different sexual partners during that 6-to-8 year period.

These results support, as health change behavioral theory would suggest, that teens who protect themselves with condoms the first time they have sex, are more likely to maintain healthy, STD and pregnancy preventing habits through their teen and young adult lives. With sexually transmitted infection and pregnancy rates being the highest among 15-25 year olds, it is extremely important that parents, teachers, and peers encourage teens to protect themselves and "not just let sex happen."

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Labels: Sexuality

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Parents and Sex Education

A recent report (May, 2007) from the Center for Research on Adolescent Health and Development at Public Health Institute in Oakland, CA, suggests that 96 percent of California parents are opposed to abstinence-only policies that prohibit instruction in the use of contraceptive methods, regardless of grade level.

The authors of the report, "Sex Ed: A Parent's Perspective," were trying to understand why, in spite of the Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Act of 2003 which mandates sexuality education begins in 7th grade and cover all contraception and STD-prevention methods approved by the FDA, California does not have comprehensive sexuality education widely implemented in its schools.

The team surveyed 1,284 random parents from all five geographic regions in California over the telephone to ask them about comprehensive versus abstinence-only sexuality education, and discovered that regardless of age, ethnicity, education, household income, religion, and country of birth, parents support comprehensive sexuality education. Even 71% of those parents who identified themselves as very conservative and 84% of those identifying as evangelical Christians supported comprehensive sexuality education.

This leads me to wonder, if the state policy demands it, and parents support comprehensive sexuality education, why are fewer than 10% of California students receiving complete and high quality comprehensive sexuality education? It may be that our school administration is fearful of an extremely small, but vocal, subset of parents voicing opposition, or that parents who want their children educated to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections are not being vocal enough. If the conversation is not happening in your school district - bring it up and express your opinion - your children deserve it!

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Labels: Sexuality Education

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MOMfulness Book Review

MOMfulness: Mothering with Mindfulness, Compassion, and Grace (2007) by Denise Roy is a must read for all parents who would appreciate a moment of peace, on demand. Every busy parent needs a reason to slow down, have a cup of tea, and celebrate the joy of parenthood. This book provides us with that opportunity, reminds us how important parents are, and how much more we can appreciate ourselves, our decisions, and our families. With a very Buddhist bend, parents who read this book will find themselves breathing deeper and smiling more!

Every short chapter, on presence, attention, compassion, embodiment, sacredness, and community, is a blessing that awakens, comforts, and encourages a new day and a positive attitude. I loved reading this book, every morning for a week, as a reminder to myself that each day is a fresh start and chance to make decisions that enhance my well-being, as well as that of my children.

Ms. Roy defines MOMfulness as the "spiritual practice of cultivating a mindful, compassionate, mothering practice."

Perfection is not the goal, nor is removing the required tasks of motherhood from our lives so we can nurture ourselves. MOMfulness helps parents realize how much joy or healing can take place during our normal daily tasks by just being present in each moment and not judging ourselves, the situation, or our children!

This is a great book to share with book groups, PTAs, church or prayer groups, or just to leave on the coffee table. Everyone needs a moment of joy, kindness, and peace in their day!

Photo credit: koivth

Labels: Book Review

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Teen Health Rights

There is a new web site from the National Center for Youth Law to help health care providers in California understand the many laws that impact their work with teens around reproductive health. The new web site Teen Health Rights includes guidebooks, charts and wallet cards on minor consent, confidentiality, and child abuse reporting laws, articles and briefs related to adolescent health, resources, as well as a section where questions can be submitted.

In addition to clinicians, parents, teachers and youth doing research may also like the information provided on this site.

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Labels: Health Care, Web Resource

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Teens Admit Risky Driving Habits

Oh my goodness! As parents we may have assumed that our teenagers do not need to be told that they cannot talk on the cellphone, or text message while driving, but think again! In spite of the fact that parents know teens do not have the experience to do anything other than focus on driving, teens seem to believe they can do multiple things while driving!

A survey conducted by Seventeen magazine and the American Automobile Association with 1,000 teens in April suggests that not only do parents need to talk about risky driving behavior, there needs to be a contract and consequences if teens ignore safety precautions!

Results from the survey suggested that 61% of the teens admitted to risky driving habits including:

• Having friends in the car (58%);
• Talking on the cell phone (51%);
• Text messaging (50%);
• Speeding (40%); and
• Drinking or using drugs before driving (11%).

It is worth having a very detailed conversation with teens about the fact that they are inexperienced drivers and even things as basic as changing a radio station should be avoided for at least a year. It might also help to start being critical of their role models, us, and pointing out when we multitask it is not as dangerous as if they were to do it - given our 20+ years of driving experience.

Yet another call to consciousness! Talk to your teens, have rules, and enforce consequences - it may save their lives! You can see examples of driving contracts at the AAA site below.

Resources:
TeenDriving.com
TeenDrivingInfo.com
AAA Public Affairs Exchange

Photo credit: JessicaSarahS

Labels: Driving

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Thank You - Grand Rounds 3.42

I want to thank Tara C. Smith at Aetiology for hosting Grand Rounds 3.42 this week and including my post about adolescent reproductive health. This week was a little sobering, but the link to the medical images was great.

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Labels: Grand Rounds

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Mycoplasma Genitallium: An Emerging Sexually Transmitted Infection

Great! Just what we need another sexually transmitted infection to worry about. A report entitled "Mycoplasma genitalium among young adults in the United Stated: An emerging sexually transmitted infection," was recently published in the American Journal of Public Health (2007; 97(6): 1118-1125). The article reports research from the University of Washington that tested 1,714 women and 1,218 men ages 18 to 27 who took part in the Wave III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. They found mycoplasma genitalium in 1 percent of the participants, gonorrhea in 0.3 percent, and chlamydia in 4.2 percent.

Mycoplasma genitalium can cause inflammation of the urethra in men and inflammation of the cervix and uterine lining in women, possibly leading to infertility. Most cases are asymptomatic and none of the infected participants had any unusual discharge. There are no commercial tests to test for this infection, in spite of the fact that it was first identified in the 1980's.

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Labels: STD

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Peaceful Meditation for Parents of Teens

I am learning that as our children get older, it gets harder and harder to really know what is best for them. When they are small, it is so easy - walking in front of cars, bad; touching hot stove, bad; gentle hands, good; pinching, bad; memorizing multiplication tables, good; sharing, good; sitting on the cat, bad; and so on.

When they get to be teens however, and really want to do something that you believe is not in their best interest, then it gets tough! On one hand, we are older and wiser, and ultimately responsible for their safety and well being.

We cannot as parents, in good conscience, throw our hands up in the air and say, "oh, go ahead, if you really want to ... try ecstasy, stop flossing your teeth, not get enough sleep, get pregnant, ride the freight trains, get a tattoo of elvis on your forearm, drop out of high school, or go live with your boyfriend." On the other hand, as much as we would like to and believe that as teens mature, they really can and should be held accountable for their decisions, "you made your bed, now lie in it," is much easier to say than really watch.

So, as parents of teens, we constantly have to make decisions and are frequenlty tied up in knots about what to do, how serious the possible outcomes are (to the big picture), and what consequences may befall our adorable young ones. If we are lucky, we hear about these potential disasterous ideas early enough to make a few gentle suggestions (i.e, have your considered ...) while the decision is being made, and then heave a sigh of relief when they make the right decision. If we are not lucky, we hear about these decisions after the fact, when their heels are dug in, and they are ready for a fight! This is when it is tough! As parents, if our gut tells us that this is wrong, it may be, but as kids get older, that no longer guarantees that it will not actually happen.

If you are like me, you may talk to friends, spend a few days shaking your head and wondering how, after all of our self-reflective, conscious parenting, this could be happening, then there may be a few days of heavy discussion, questioning, cajoling, trying to change their minds, etc.. and when that fails, you may try and assert your power, which will not work in high conflict, divorced families, or families blessed with really stubborn children. So, then you are faced with the gut-wrenching dilemma of what to do - let them do it, put up a fight, threaten, or take legal action (that is for the high-conflict divorced families - you know who you are),none of which may work, but all are potential strategies.

Here is the mediation part:

• sit down somewhere quiet and tell yourself that in fact, it may be that no one knows what the "right" decision actually is.
• There may not be a right or wrong decision or action, it simply is what it is, a choice, and every "choice" will have consequences and rewards, however, there may be what we believe is the "best" choice.
• No matter how we fret and beat ourselves up, and wonder if we are doing what is right, we will actually never know if our way is "right," or if their way is "right," so we might as well figure out what we believe is "best."
• Then, figure out what you are willing to do so that what you believe is "best," actually happens, and then do those things, but then let things be the way they are going to be, and most important, do not beat yourself up.

All we can do is model for our children that what we believe is best, is worth fighting for, and then, if they do what we hope they don't, it is what it is, and all we can do is love them, and be as supportive as we can while they live out the outcome related to their choice.

Bottom lines:

• quit beating yourself up wondering if you are dong the right thing; you will never know;
• every choice, is what it is, just a choice, and it is yours to make; and
• trust yourself and your gut - fight for as long as you need to for what you believe, but then, let go.

The process will be what it is, and the outcome, will be what it is. Trust your love for the teenager, walk through the process, live with the outcomes of your choices, and stop trying to know if you are right - you never will.

It will be what it is. Blessings for peace!

Photo Credit: omnos
Inspirational Credit: My sister Lisa, in Austin, Texas

Labels: Parenting

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Board & Card Games for Family Bonding

When is the last time you and your kids played a board game? Given our fast-paced lives, I bet it has been a mighty long time, so why not do it this weekend? Start a new summer tradition! If your closet is full of games that the kids groan at the name of, and you want to try something new, I have two games to suggest, that both my teenagers love. The first is called "Set: The family game of visual perception" and the second is "Quiddler: For the fun of words."

Let me say first off, that this is not a paid advertisement, as I just realized they are both by the same company - SET Enterprises, Inc.. Set is a game of cards that the dealer lays on the table, 12 cards at a time, that players use to identify "sets" of three cards that differ, or are the same, by feature, including symbol, color, number, or shading. That is much harder than it sounds, but fun. The players have to wait until all 12 cards are laid down, then call out "set," before identifying the set they see, and at the end of the game, the player with the most sets wins that round. I have to admit that both teenagers are better at this than I am, so prepare to lose!

Quiddler is also a card game, with letters worth points on the cards, that players use to arrange into words. It is fast-paced and is played in 8 rounds, with an additional card given each round. A bonus is given for the most words in each round, as well as the longest word, so everyday words for younger kids can be just as valuable as larger words. Each turn players draw and discard one card until someone goes out by laying down their words. Each player gets one last chance to make words, and in our non-competitive house, everyone helps in the last round, so the youngest member of the family frequently wins.

Playing games, like sharing meals, is a wonderful way to spend time with your family, talk, engage their brains, and marvel at how smart they are! Do not be afraid to bribe them with snacks or background music you cannot stand the first time, but after that I bet it is easier to get them to be involved with family game night! Good luck and have fun!

Photo Credit: peiqianlong

Labels: Parenting

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Thank You - Grand Rounds 3.41

Happy Fourth of July Everyone!

I want to thank Over!My!Med!Body for hosting Grand Rounds 3.41 this week and including my post about teen and preteen health resources on the Internet. This week was a wonderful read and provided some great links.

Photo credit: web_guy94301

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Plain Talk About Adolescent Reproductive Health

In the United States, 4 out of 10 young women become pregnant at least once before they are 20, giving us the highest rates of teen pregnancy and births in the Western industrialized world (AMCHP). The majority of these pregnancies are unintended, and the rates are the highest in low income communities of color. In addition, the United States has an estimated 12 million new cases of sexually transmitted infections each year, 3 million of which occur in teenagers.

Given these statistics, it is obvious that many of our teens are sexually active, and that we, the adults in their lives need to spend some more time communicating with them about contraception, as well as disease prevention. The final piece needed to change these unacceptable rates of pregnancy and STDs is access to contraception for adolescents. One program to help do this is called Plain Talk, by the Annie E. Casey Foundation (also available as Hablando Claro, in Spanish). As basic as it seems, this program is based on the fact that increasing communication about sex and increasing access to contraception reduces pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections. This particular community program works using three core elements: Community Mapping; Walkers & Talkers; and Home Health Parties.

Photo Credit: Andrea Fregnani

Labels: Sexuality Education

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The Best Teen and Preteen Health Resources on the Web

I frequently link to two wonderful teen and preteen health web sites by the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF), so I thought I would formally introduce you to these sites, and tell you a little about them. The sites are "We're Talking: Teen Health," and "We're Talking, Too: Preteen Health." These are wonderful sites for parents to bookmark for their kids and encourage them to explore. The sites are medically accurate, contain no advertisements, and on the teen site, provide an opportunity for kids to ask anonymous questions that are answered by medical professionals. Both sites contain information about physical, emotional,and sexual health, written specifically for preteens and teens.

These sites were created, and are maintained, by the Adolescent Interest Group, a committee of doctors, health educators, therapists, and researchers, including yours truly (note the disclaimer), that has been meeting monthly at PAMF since approximately 1997. Each summer we are joined by a Stanford student and up to six local high school students who update the content, write new content, review movies as well as books, and go out to community groups to teach the content from the Bully Module and ABCs of Healthy Relationships, both projects created by teens with grants they received to support their community health work.

I encourage you to explore these sites and then look at them with your kids, as a conversation starter, or to let them know you encourage them finding out answers to health issues they might have questions about, but for whatever reason, not bring up with you. These sites are a little safer than other health sites because they were developed specifically for people under 22 years of age, and try to avoid introducing information to youth before they are ready. Explore away and have fun!

Please feel free to add other great resources below - as comments!

Photo Credit: Misterteacher

Labels: Teen Development

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