Healthyvives Health Blog

According to encyclopedia Britannica,’ Adolescence is the time in a young person’s life between childhood and adulthood”. It is a period of transition from childhood to adulthood. The duration is between age 10-19, some where it is 12-19, and 12-20 years, it is also called teenager.
The adolescence period is very crucial; this period is the formative years in the life of an individual when major physical, psychological and behavioral changes take place. It is also an impressionable period of life. This is the period of preparation for undertaking greater responsibilities including healthy responsible parenthood. Future of a society depends on adolescents and they form a great human resource for the society and human being. The problems of health of adolescents are very different from those of younger children and older adults. Due to accurate information, adolescents are prone to various behavioral and reproductive health problems. The period of transition from childhood to adult-hood is hazardous for the adolescent’s health because they develop behavioral problems in absence of proper guidance and counseling.
In adolescent period girls physical changes may begin at around 10 years and it may reach their maximum growth by around 14 years, it is called puberty. But the puberty in boys usually appears later than in girls. In the time of puberty of boys begin with change in voice, growth of hair on chin, under arms, face, chest and public region. Sperm
Production start, occasionally penile erection and involuntary ejaculation also occur.
First menstruation which occurs in a young girl at around 12 years, and it is often recognized as the onset of maturity in girls. It is called menarche, but there are variation in the age at which menarche occurs. Good nutritional status will lower the age at menarche, which means girl will attain menarche earlier, while in malnourished girl’s menarche is delayed. If menstruation is not started by 16 years guardian should counsel with physician.
The nutritional requirement of adolescents is more due to rapid growth spurt and increase in physical activity. During this period, the adolescent are encouraged to develop healthy eating habits and life style. In this stage they need more of all nutrients particularly calcium, iodine and iron.
Adolescent is a time for exploration adventure and discovery on ones own body and one’s capability and potential. Some times this can lead to confusion and to experimentation with harmful substances like drugs, alcohol, risky driving and risky behaviors. During this transition period from childhood to adulthood due to rapid physical and sexual changes in the body, the adolescents develop anxiety and apprehension. Often adolescents hesitate to make communication about sexual development and other related matters with elders. In such situation they are not given appropriate information and education on these normal physical, sexual and psychological changes they are prone to health risk behaviors such as sex experiments and drug abuse leading to teenage pregnancy, contracting HIV/AIDS, RTI/STI, injuries, accidents, violence, rape, suicide, homicide etc. some other problems originating during adolescence may have lifelong consequences like use of tobacco, alcohol, drugs and harmful substance.
Adolescent’s health problems is a normal and nature matter. They should be taking an initiative protection of health. They also need to take care of personal their hygiene. They should follow like as to clean hands thoroughly before and after taking food and after going toilet, clean teeth and tongue twice daily once in the morning after leaving bed and second time before going to bed at night, bath daily, they should keep the groin clean and dry otherwise fungal infection, leading to the itching and other skin diseases. Boys clean “Smegma” during bathing and after urination.
During adolescence there is widespread ignorance among adolescents about risks associated with unprotected sexual activity, since adolescent sexuality remains taboo in many societies, unprotected sex may lead to unwanted pregnancy which is tern may lead to increased demand for induced abortion. Also pregnancy among unmarried girls may lead them to seek abortion services from untrained practitioners and become victims of consequence complications. Termination of unwanted pregnancy through induced abortion among adolescent girls cause greater risk to life than in adult women, even if pregnancy continues tendency to hide the same to avoid proper antenatal care among adolescents may lead to serious complications of pregnancy and child birth. It is also very risk to early married at very young age which leads to consequent early child bearing. They may suffer from anemia, retarded foetal growth; premature birth and complication during labour are significantly higher for adolescent mothers and may even lead to death. Unprotected sex among adolescents is the change of infection from Sexual transmitted disease which includes syphilis, gonorrhea and HIV/AIDS.
What may be our duty as a guide or guardian for adolescents? We inform them to use condom to provide and protection against unwanted pregnancy and STD, HIV/AIDS. They also need for practice of safe sex to avoid sexual transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy. Adolescents have to right to complete, correct and detailed knowledge and information relating to their developments; physical and psychological. Educate the community members as well as adolescents about the normal physical changes with special reference to nutrition and health needs of them. Parents and adult in the family must ensure a safe secure and supportive environment for the adolescents during their formative years of growth and development. Family members need to be informed and educated in this regard. A positive encouraging attitude among parents and family members to interact with adolescents and to give clarifications and correct information on their doubts will facilitate better relationship of trust and confidence.