Acne
Driving
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD)
Contraception
Cervical Cancer Screening
Rape
Transition out of the pediatric office
- Eat a healthy diet. In general. Chocolate in moderation is okay, french fries are not. In general. The research doesn't show a link between diet and acne. So just stick with a healthy diet.
- Twice a day, wash your face with products that contain salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, and then apply a moisturizer that is NOT oil-based.
- If basic over the counter stuff doesn't work, don't waste your money on expensive brands… call your pediatrician for an appointment and we can take a look. There is a wide variety of topical (applied on your skin) and oral (a pill you can swallow) medications that we can prescribe for you, depending on the severity.
Driving
- If you are texting, send #x before getting into the car to end the conversation. Don't text and drive.
- Your parents are understandably nervous. Give them the Teen Driver Parent Guide from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
- Also check out CHOP's injury prevention site for more info on how to drive safely!
- Practice the written test with a mobile app from PennDOT.
- PA Manual. PA Form. (If you live in DE or NJ, google for state forms and manuals, and if you would like it on our website, let us know!)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD)
- Talk to your doctor about being screened for gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV, and syphilis
- Use condoms 100% of the time - because you don't want anything icky going on down there and because... guys... come on, do you really think your girlfriend remembers to take her birth control EVERY day?
- CDC website on STD prevention
Contraception
- Condoms condoms condoms condom!!
- Girls use birth control for many different reasons - painful periods, severe, acne, and duh... pregnancy prevention. Ask your pediatrician if you want more information, most doctors at the practice can also prescribe them.
- An awesome option is the intrauterine device, also known as an IUD, Mirena (has progesterone), or Paragard (no hormones, just copper). They last at least 5 years, don't need to remember a pill every day, and way smaller than a tampon. A gynecologist puts it in, may cause some mild cramping during and for a few hours afterwards, but then all done! For FIVE YEARS! Plus it may minimize number and severity of periods and improve acne. Ask your doctor if you want to talk to a gynecologist about an IUD.
- CDC website and kidshealth.org website for more contraception options
Cervical Cancer Screening
- Every girl must get a PAP smear (screens for cervical cancer) at 21
- Talk to your pediatrician about a referral to a gynecologist
- Info about cervical cancer here, and about the PAP smear test here
- Decrease your chances of getting cervical cancer (and anal cancer, penile cancer, head and neck cancers) by getting the HPV vaccine!
Rape
- Sexual assault and rape happen. To anyone. Doesn't matter what they were wearing, doesn't matter what they were drinking, doesn't matter if 'they" is he or she. Use this app to help you stay safe so you can quickly allow 6 contacts to know where you are and that you need help: Circle of 6
- Talk about sexual assault, get the conversation going, change attitudes, change culture.
Transition out of the pediatric office
- The transition is not always easy, so here are some resources on how to make the transition more smooth for both healthy teens and children with special needs.
- GotTransition.org is a website with resources and forms to help consolidate the adolescent's health history for both personal use and for communicating with the adult doctor.
- You know we search far and wide for the best for our patients! This guide is from the University of Washington in Seattle.