How to Help Your Teen Prioritize Their Health and Wellness

For teenagers, their world is always changing. The transition from childhood to adolescence requires going from middle school to high school, going through puberty, and seeing their friend groups, interests, and bodies change. 

As a parent and caregiver, it’s important to partner with your teen to see them succeed during this often turbulent stage of life. And prioritizing their health and wellness while empowering them to care about their well-being is a huge part of that.

At Women’s Specialty Care in Lake Forest and Grayslake, Illinois, our compassionate team, led by women’s health expert Karen Mass, MD, FACOG, offers specialized gynecological care for the unique health concerns of female adolescents.

In this month’s blog, we highlight some key areas of your teenage daughter’s health that require a little extra vigilance on your part and theirs so they can focus on succeeding in their social and academic pursuits. 

Periods and sexual activity 

Most girls start getting their period around age 12. It’s important to educate your teen on how to wear and use her period product of choice, whether it’s a pad, tampon, or menstrual cup. Help her understand that her periods might be irregular and heavy those first few times, and encourage her to come to you if she’s worried about cramps or, especially, heavy bleeding.

Teaching your daughter about safe-sex practices helps prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unwanted pregnancies. These conversations about sexual activity should include encouraging your daughter not to have sex if she doesn’t want to or before she’s ready.

Physical health concerns

As your teen grows through puberty, she’s going to experience a lot of physical changes, and with these changes come some adaptations to self-care. 

The first stage of puberty is breast development, which can occur as early as age eight. As her breasts become larger, you can purchase a training bra and encourage her to start wearing it. 

Another noticeable change is hair growth in her armpits and pubic area. You can talk through shaving practices if she prefers to eliminate unwanted hair growth. 

With the fluctuating hormones of puberty could come acne, which can range from mild-to-severe. Helping your teen find the correct face wash and skin care routine for her skin type can be crucial to keep her skin clear. 

Emotional and mental health concerns

Suicide is one of the top causes of death in people ages 10-24. Eating disorders are also heavily prevalent in adolescents. 

It’s vital to have an open line of communication with your teen about peer pressure and societal expectations. Your daughter is going through a lot of physical, emotional, and mental changes, which are nearly impossible for her to handle alone. 

Be available to talk through the unique challenges she might be facing, including the pressure from others to look or act in certain ways that aren’t true to who she is. 

Partner with our team for expert-level care

As your daughter goes through her teenage years, it’s important that she starts seeing our team for well-woman visits. If her periods stay irregular, or if she needs contraception, having an already-established relationship with Dr. Mass ensures more personalized care.

Your daughter should have her first trip to the gynecologist when she’s between 13 and 15. This helps us learn her health history and provides a chance for us to talk through any physical or mental health concerns that need specialized care. 

To schedule an adolescent gynecologist visit, simply call your nearest office location, or use our online booking feature today.