Everything teens wanted to know about health... Everything teens wanted to know about health... (June 11, 2003)

Web sites and ebooks give kids access to educational, and private, health information

by The Health Library

In spite of the fact that parents and schools do a good job of talking with young teens about puberty and the bodily changes that go with it, most kids still appreciate information that they can refer to in the privacy of their room, behind a locked door.

In the past, that usually involved a parent seeking out an appropriate book and surreptitiously slipping it to their child at the right moment. Now, with the Internet available in many homes and most libraries, teenagers have the opportunity of finding resources online that will provide them with answers to the questions that are hard to formulate and harder to ask in person.

For the younger or pre- teen just entering puberty, questions about development are usually the most pressing, and there are several good resources on the Web that address these in a straightforward, easy-to-understand manner. The Nemours Foundation has created the information-rich Web site "KidsHealth," which has sections devoted to parents, kids and teens with the information tailored for the specific audience using it. The Kids part of the site has a wonderful section called "Growing Up" (www.kidshealth.org/kid/grow/), in which the preteen child can get age-appropriate information that will answer their questions and prepare them for the changes that are coming.

For the middle-school through high-school age child, the Teens section is more detailed and sophisticated. It tackles some of the questions that make parents squirm. The section on Sexual Health covers all the basics about the developing and developed adult body as well as issues such as STDs, becoming sexually active, caring for your body and common health concerns of teens.

Another terrific resource for teens over the age of 13 is the Palo Alto Medical Foundation's "Teen Health" section of their Web site (www.pamf.org/teen/). What makes this site different from the Nemours Foundation and others like it is the Q&A section where teens can submit a question and receive a thoughtful, truthful answer that is handled by a healthcare professional. The archive of topics would be of great use to most teens because the questions are the sort that are important to them. This includes honest explanations about illegal drugs and their effects, sexual activity, and doctor confidentiality. Teens reading this section will be impressed by the dignity with which their concerns are handled.

Stanford Health Library also has several ebooks on its Web site that can be checked out for free and which cover the topic of teen development. The most often checked out book is "Body Talk: A Girl's Guide to What's Happening to Your Body." As the title implies, this book is a good primer for a girl with questions about puberty and the onset of menstruation and breast development. The illustrations are cheery and hip throughout, and give the book a "teen" feel.

The section on breast development addresses everything from the beginning of development to understanding bra sizes -- information that was traditionally learned with a red face in a department-store fitting room.

Another useful online book is "Everything You Need to Know About Going to the Gynecologist," which is one of the "Everything You Need to Know" books in the electronic collection. One of the great hurdles a young woman faces is her first gynecological exam, and this book addresses the fears and questions a teen might have as she prepares to visit the gynecologist for the first time. Knowing what to expect during a pelvic exam probably makes the experience much less anxiety ridden. These books can be checked out or browsed in the confidence of home or the privacy of a library carrel whenever the need to know arises. Parents might want to check out these resources for themselves in case they want to know what kinds of questions their teens might not be asking but still want answered. To suggest a topic for To Your Health, e-mail The Health Library at nora.cain@medcenter.stanford.edu. The Health Library resources are not intended as a substitute for medical care. The main branch is located at 2-B Stanford Shopping Center. For more information, call 725-8400 or point your Internet browser to http://healthlibrary.stanford.edu. The Health Library is a community service of Stanford Hospital and Clinics.