Caring For Our Teens

  Background Information on Adolescent CPR Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure used "to restore   and maintain breathing and circulation and to provide oxygen and blood flow to the heart, brain, and other vital organs" (Encyclopedia of Children's Health). The procedure combines chest compressions with artificial respirations . CPR may be combined with the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), a device that delivers an electric shock to the heart to get it beating again.  According to the American Heart Association (AHA), in the pediatric age range, cessation of the heartbeat is most common in infants and teenagers (2000). CPR must be given immediately to an unconscious teenager who has stopped breathing and/or who has suffered cardiac arrest.  Among adolescents, common causes of respiratory and/or cardiac arrest include traumatic brain injury, near-drowning, anaphylaxis,  alcohol poisoning,   drug overdose,   sudden cardiac arrest (SC

Giving First Aid to An Adolescent Child:  🚑 Things to Remember 🚑 In little children, injuries and illnesses, both major and minor, can produce crying and the need for an adult's immediate care and comforting. In older children, physical suffering may be endured more calmly. As the publication Growing Up With Us notes, "Much self-control is usually evident" in this age group (Growing Up With Us, 2006, p.2). However, when a teenager is in a lot of pain from an injury or illness, tears can still be the natural emotional response. This can happen in both girls and boys, depending on each individual.    Hurt or sick youngsters need an adult's calm and comforting presence with an emphasis on respect, just as little ones do. Adults giving first aid should ask a conscious young person's permission before assessing his or her condition. For example, ask, "Do you mind if I check your pulse?" and "Is it alright with you if I remove your necklace?"  T

Testicular Torsion & Injury                                                                             The testicles are very sensitive organs. Since they are an external part of the male reproductive system, rather than internal, it is very painful for boys if they accidentally get hit in the testicles. As the Nemours Foundation (2016) notes, " the location of the testicles makes them prime targets to be accidentally struck on the playing field or injured during strenuous exercise and activity".  Teenage boys who are involved in sports or who are very active are most at risk for these types of injuries. Blunt trauma is the most common cause of testicular injuries, comprising 85% (WebMD, 2020). A ball strike, a kick, or a bicycle or motorcycle accident can all hurt the testicles. Most of the time, this contact is not serious. Boys may be in great pain at first, and will need comfort and reassurance from parents or caregivers. With this type of injury, it is especially im

Health and Periods   Managing Period Pains Prior to their periods, some girls may experience premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS can cause fluctuations in mood along with uncomfortable physical symptoms such as tender breasts, backaches, and headaches. According to the Nemours Foundation, " It isn’t clear why some girls develop PMS and others don’t. It’s possible that those who develop PMS are simply more sensitive to the changes in hormone levels" (2014). Eating healthy foods, staying hydrated, and getting enough sleep can all help teen girls with PMS to feel better (Nemours Foundation, 2014).  The first day or first few days of a girl's period can often be painful. Pain may range from mild to severe. Stomach cramps, along with leg, head, or back pain, are very common. Cramps are caused by prostaglandins, chemicals that make the walls of the uterus contract. For some teenage girls, the pain might be so bad that they have to stay home from school. Girls who are experiencing

  Boys' Puberty Puberty in boys can begin at any time between the ages of 9 and 15  (The Nemours Foundation, 2020). This is a very special time for little men. The first sign that a boy is developing into a man is growth of the testes and scrotum. These changes are followed by pubic and underarm hair growth, an increase in height, deepening of the voice,  erections and ejaculation, and the appearance of facial hair. The pituitary gland prompts the testes to begin releasing testosterone, the male sex hormone, into the bloodstream. Testosterone causes teenage boys to develop a manly build. This hormone is also responsible for producing sperm. Sperm production makes the male reproductive system capable of fertilizing an egg and fathering a child.   The ability to be a father is a very wonderful and unique gift that God has bestowed upon men. Ejaculation involves the release of semen, which encompasses millions of sperm cells. These sperm have the potential to join with a female egg to

  Girls' Puberty Puberty in girls can begin at any time between ages 7 and 13 (The Nemours Foundation, 2020). This is a very special time for little women. The first sign that a girl is growing into a woman is breast development. This change is eventually followed by pubic and underarm hair growth, sweat production, a growth spurt, and menstruation and ovulation. The pituitary gland prompts the ovaries to begin releasing estrogen, the female sex hormone, into the bloodstream. Estrogen causes teenage girls to develop a womanly figure. Ovulation makes the female reproductive system capable of conceiving, nurturing, and bearing a baby.  The ability to be a mother is a very wonderful and unique gift that God has bestowed upon women. Ovulation involves the release of eggs every month. The eggs are produced in anticipation of being fertilized by sperm. If no fertilization occurs, then the lining of the uterus dissolves and blood and tissue flow out of the uterus. This process is called m