Healthy Teen Tips

Adolescence is a time when many physical and mental changes begin to occur. Adolescence is also known as puberty. During this period you may begin to notice the most changes to both your body and to the way you think. You may:

• Want to be more independent.
• Want others to respect your privacy.
• Want to explore and take on new challenges.
• Want to spend more time alone and or with your friends.

These feelings are normal and are part of growing up. It demonstrates that you are slowly developing your own identity. The physical changes in your body may cause you to:

• Become more interested in exploring ways to take better care of your health
• Change your eating habits
• Get more physically active
• Think about dating

These feelings and actions are positive because it shows that you are going through a "transitional" period in your life and perhaps are ready to become a responsible teen. Taking action to learn about your body and health will also help your self esteem. While you may crave your own space you still need guidance and support from your family and friends. Therefore, learn how to take care of your body, prevent emergencies and ask for help when you need it. This web site can help you get answers to questions you may have such as:

• Do you know that ALL information shared with your doctor is kept confidential?
• Do you know that regular teen health exams and immunizations are required for school, college, participation in sports and for certain jobs?
• Do you know what questions to ask during a doctor's visit?
• Do you know about teen safety and how to handle and prevent emergencies?
• Do you know the risks of smoking?
• Do you know about alcohol and other drug information for teens?
• Do you know the signs and symptoms of STD's (Sexually Transmitted Diseases)?

Word	Definition
ADOLESCENT	A young person who has undergone puberty but who has not reached full maturity; a teenager.
PUBERTY	The stage of adolescence in which an individual becomes physiologically capable of sexual reproduction.
TRANSITIONAL	Passage from one form, state, style, or place to another.
SELF ESTEEM	Includes a person's beliefs of himself or herself (e.g., "I am smart/not smart", "I am liked/disliked"). A person's self esteem is associated with emotions (e.g., happy/sad). If someone believes that they are good at something, their self esteem is high, if they believe that their not good at something, their self esteem may be low.
CONFIDENTIAL	Intended to be kept secret; private information.