Health Resources for Teenage Girls

This guide is for medical assistant schools.

Becoming a young woman is a milestone in a girl’s life; it is a time when a teen’s mind turns to dating, finding their independence, and focusing on fashion. Friendships become very important and close meaningful relationships are formed with other girls of the same age. It is also a time of great changes from within, as a teenage girl shifts from childhood to adulthood. These bodily changes may come upon some girls quickly, while others gradually move through them in stages. During these years, a girl’s hormones create new and sometimes uncomfortable conditions, but knowledge is power and knowing how to deal with some of these issues can really make life easier.

As this transformation takes place, a teenage girl may notice that her breasts are developing more quickly, her skin breaks out, there is a sudden change in body odor, and she will also begin to menstruate. Sometimes accompanying menstruation, or periods, there may be days where she feels moody, her acne may increase, she might have headaches, and cramping in her lower back and abdomen. This is nothing to get concerned about; it is all part of female puberty and is perfectly normal. Parents try to lend advice, but a teenager needs to take possession of her own needs and good habits. Sexual health, staying fit, hygiene and eating right are essential. Teens often don’t put enough focus on their health, but there are simple checks that a young woman can do to assure her health and happiness for a long life. Breast exams should be started, even though teen breast cancer is not as common in young women, it can still occur. It is also most important to schedule regular pelvic exams if you are sexually active or intend to be in the future. While abstinence is always best, a young woman must protect herself from exposure to any kind of sexually transmitted disease or unplanned pregnancy.

Some girls have great metabolisms when they are young and develop poor eating habits, we all know the girl in school that can eat whatever she wants without gaining an ounce, but as they age, that metabolism slows and the bad habits that have been established will wreak havoc on her slower metabolism. Studies on teenage obesity and diabetes have shown that too much fast food can also lead to real trouble; teens must learn to gauge their diet, making healthier food choices and never believing that it can’t happen to them. Models and other famous people in movies and on television may be fun to watch and look glamorous, but be careful not to put them on a pedestal. Teenage girls should not throw themselves into wild diets or binges. Eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia are an increasing problem for teenage girls and can cause lasting problems that will create lasting complications in adulthood. Teens need to eat a sensible, balanced diet and love themselves for they are. 

A teenage girl’s life should be full of excitement, experiencing new adventures and learning to be an adult. This can be the best time of her life and should be, but being wise in decision making, whether on a date, preparing for an outing, or just going to school, is so important. Education is the key to becoming a healthy, safe and vibrant woman.

Nutrition and Eating Right

• Fox News Size Zero Diets May Put Teenage Girls' Health at Risk

• Dept. of Agriculture Adolescence nutrition – articles from food and fitness to nutrition facts

Fitness

• Girl's Health includes links to exercise tips, how to know if your working out too hard and how to prevent work out injury

• Young Women's Health an award-winning teen girls' health website featuring health guides, quizzes, chats & more!

• Better Health Teenage girls – getting them active – barriers – tips

Eating Disorders

• Mirror Mirror eating disorders – with article links to disorders and dangerous methods

• Diabetes Spectrum Eating Disorders in Adolescent Girls and Young Adult Women With Type 1 Diabetes

• U of Minnesota Family meals quell eating disorders in teenage girls, with links to Project Eat

• CDC Youth risk behaviors - with links to articles and information trends, risks, hot lines and more

Bodily Image

•University of Washington  Body image and nutrition – The medias effect on body image

• Nat'l Assoc. of Social Workers Adolescent Girls and Body Image

• Something Fishy exploring the role society and the media play in the development of an Eating Disorder and the Media Influence on Eating Disorders.

• Ohio University Fact sheet and Resources on body image, eating disorders and self-esteem

Self Esteem

• Community Learning Network Self-Esteem Theme Page with links to study pages on self-esteem

•About our Kids How to Raise Girls with Healthy Self-Esteem

• Office of Juvenile Justice article: Self-Esteem and Young Women

• Vanderbilt article: What Is The Relationship Between Low Self-Esteem and Eating Disorders 

Peer Pressure

• Dept. of Health peer pressure and the use of alcohol

• America peer pressure and how mentoring helps girls to succeed

• The Cool Spot four games – discover what the peer pressure in each game is

• Family peer pressure, is it good or bad? How to deal with peer pressure

Sex

• Sex Etc. sex education for teens, written by teens

• Smith College all about teenage pregnancy

• Health Finder teenage girls and sexually transmitted diseases – with health and service links

Alcohol

• Telegraph News teenage girls and alcohol poisoning, with links to other related sites

• Nat'l Institute of Alcohol Why Do Adolescents Drink, What Are the Risks, and How Can Underage Drinking Be Prevented?

• Stop Underage Drinking audio transcripts and resources

Smoking

• Kiddies Rehab A great article about teen smoking and how to over come smoking peer pressure.

• Public Reports A school-based smoking prevention program for adolescent girls in New York City.

• American Cancer Society prevention and early detection – understanding teen smoking

• Tendring District Council Why Smoking is Bad for You

Illicit Drugs

• Office of Applied Sciences Results from the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National

Findings

• Dept. of Health and Human Services Tips for Teens: The Truth About Inhalants

• Nat'l Dept. of Drug Abuse Facts on Drugs – with links that cover the different drugs and their effects

• The White House an overview of drugs and women, with facts, figures, outreach and initiatives

Mental Health

• Help Guide Dealing with Teen Depression - Tips and Tools for Helping Yourself or a Friend

• UC Berkeley article entitled: Pressure to be a super girl is causing teen mental health crisis

• National Institute of Mental Health article: Brain Emotion Circuit Sparks as Teen Girls Size Up Peers

• US News article: Teen Depression Worsened by Marijuana, Government Says

Family Problems

• Veteran Affairs Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome in children and adolescents

• Direct Gov spotting teen abuse – what you can do and what they can do

• Psychiatric Service Study on the Adverse Childhood Experiences, Alcoholic Parents, and Later Risk of Alcoholism and Depression

• Missouri Families links to sites that help teens deal with the divorce of their parents

Personal Care

• Children's Hospital talking about teen girls' first OB/GYN visit

• Kids Health Your changing body – Menstruation, using tampons, breast and pelvic exams, and other general care information

• Teens First for Health puberty and sexual health, looking good and hot topics

• BHIA body piercing and tattoos and how they affect teen health

• Duke Health the effects tanning can have on your body in the long term

Safety

• U of Michigan Teen dating violence prevention and treatment

• Helping Teens links to articles on rape, what to do, society and many others

• Rocky Mountain Ins. Teenage driving statistics

• Hillsboro School personal safety advice for teens