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Adolescent Health

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Adolescent health: WHO health topic page on adolescent healthprovides links to descriptions of activities, reports, news and events, as well as contacts and cooperating partners in the various WHO programmes and offices working on this topic.

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It's harder to be a teenager today than ever before. So how can you as a parent help? By continuing to show up and support your teen, even when they seem hellbent on pushing you away, says Louisa Woods.
It's the most common reaction I get when I tell someone I work with teenagers: 'I don't know how you do it' or something along those lines. Stated like my work is in the same category as a snake wrangler or lion tamer, but dealing with a more mysterious species of wild animal, capricious and with bitey tendencies.

It's the response from people whose understanding of today's teens comes from sensationalist media stories and observation from afar. As far away as possible, in most cases. They generally have an awful lot to say about how rotten our teens are and they usually have various (un)helpful suggestions as to how they got that way. Think 'PC gone mad', 'anti-smacking laws', 'schools/parents/society going soft' - you know, those sorts of things. The amount they speak has an inverse relationship to the amount I say in response.

And then there are a second group: People who do know teenagers. Those that have no real choice but to know them on an up close and personal basis - their parents. They have the same look about them that I'm sure I had when I was (mis)managing three kids under five. Smiling, but with a haunted look in their eyes like they're bracing themselves for the next thing that their child is going to throw at them. More often than not they give a wry little laugh to accompany their 'I don't know how you do it', and then take a good swig of whatever beverage they're clasping.

Sometimes they'll follow up with an outpouring of tales about their particular teenager and how amazing but challenging they are. Sometimes real concerns come flooding out and there are barely restrained tears. There's relief in meeting someone who actually chooses to deal with teenagers day in and day out and yet seems relatively sane. Parents don't tend to condemn teenagers for their behaviour, or blame society for whatever ills may accompany the teenage years. They're generally too busy worrying about their own contribution.

While there have been occasions when I've joked with colleagues about the zoo-like quality of the guidance department, often around the time of a full moon (seriously, it's a thing) or the day following the junior dance, I've never found teenagers to be particularly mysterious. Complex, yes; difficult to connect with at times, sure; frustrating, absolutely. But I've never felt a disconnect or any fear when it comes to teens.

In fact, I feel the opposite. I love teenagers. They are quite magnificent in their complexity.

I admire their willingness to push boundaries, to pole-vault right over them when the fancy takes them. We can all learn from their need to question and question and then question again, to seek honest answers but to let the rational go and emotion rule when need be. I love being witness to the quest for self, watching as a young person finds a place to stand in the world, a place that they will defend to the hilt and then promptly abandon in favour of a more appropriate spot. I am awed by their vulnerability as they contend with all of this growth and change, the ravages of hormones and heartbreak, and the constant pinging of text messages. They are so in need of support and genuine interest and yet strive to be so independent. They long to be seen as an individual and yet strive to be part of the group. They are contrary creatures, and that contrariness, it's fascinating.

And yes, they're moody, and uncommunicative, and can be self obsessed and inward looking. Undeniably angsty and dramatic at times. And then, just to mix things up a bit, the next day they're chatty and excitable and filled with the joy of life.

But, really, isn't that true for everyone? Adults might be better at keeping things in check and performing in a socially acceptable way because we have the advantage of a fully developed frontal cortex to fall back on, but we all channel our inner teenager at times. Some of us let them out to play every time we get a few wines on board.

I confess that I am a bit of a geek when it comes to this sort of stuff, but holy hell, the human brain is just astounding. There are three parts that make up the human brain, and the cortex, the part that allows us to learn, reason, and be empathetic, the part that sets us apart from every other species on the planet, is not fully developed in most people until we hit our mid-twenties.

While we expect teenagers to be young adults, their brains aren't actually set up to be that until well after they've left school. So when a teenager does something spectacularly irrational or stupid, don't be surprised. Don't be surprised if they don't have an answer for why they did it, either.

'Dunno' is not necessarily a teenager evading questioning - it's often the most honest response they have.

(There's some fantastic research being done by the Brainwave Trust and a very interesting podcast about the teenage brain here if you want to learn more.)

I can see how teenagers get such a bad rap. I look back over my list of virtues and it could equally be headed with 'complications' or 'challenges'. Some strengths, when combined with the right (wrong) set of circumstances - the boundary pushing, the risk taking, being so driven by emotion - can push teenagers beyond being complex and into being downright dangerous. Not least to themselves.

And some of the teenagers that I've known have been tough to work with, hard to support, challenging to advocate for. Really tough in some cases. I've been driven to the edge of despair with a couple, regrouping by leaning against the inside of my office door, taking deep breaths so that I can open it and face the next person in need of support. I'm not all Pollyanna and rose-tinted specs about our young people. I can understand where the 'better you than me' comments come from. I can understand why it can be difficult being the parent of a teenager.

It's undeniably tough getting up every day to parent a teen. And that's partly because it's tough being one.

Increasingly so.

I don't buy the whole 'teenagers are so different now' argument. I've been working with them for fourteen years (yikes) and in that time the nature of teenagers hasn't changed. I don't think it's changed in generations. What has changed is the world that our young people are having to negotiate while they're figuring out who they are.

Expectations are higher, the future is less certain, information overload makes life more confusing than it needs to be, and they are constantly, constantly on display, contactable, and open to comment and critique. Talk about 'better you than me'.

No wonder teenagers can be hard to deal with at times. A lot of the time, even. I know that's poor comfort for a parent struggling with their teen, although perhaps there is a touch of reassurance in knowing that your teenager is not just a complete jerk. They're working their way through the ups and downs of adolescence and you're along for the ride. It just so happens that the ups go off like fireworks and the downs smash in like a wrecking ball.

I don't know if anyone's fully equipped to deal with teenagers in all their complexity and contrariness. I don't know if any adult can fully understand what a teenager's experience of the world is like. No matter how switched on we are or how well we connect to young people, no matter how well we remember our own adolescence or what we had to work through ourselves to end up as well functioning adults, there is no way we can know what it's like to be a teenager today.

What I do know is that we can try. And they really, really want us to even though it might pain them to admit it.

We can keep showing up.

Keep asking questions.

Keep telling them how amazing they are even when they can't see it themselves (even when they're being so difficult it's hard for us to see it too).

We might not always get it right, and let's face it, with teenagers, sometimes it's going to be wrong, no matter what. They're as likely to flip you a big middle finger as they are to thank you for your input, but they'll remember that you tried.

It's easy to get frustrated and to feel inadequate as the parent of a teen. To not know what to do next. It comes with the territory when you're a parent anyway but with teenagers it's particularly difficult because what they need seems to be so much more complicated than when they were younger. And what they want on Monday might be a completely different thing on Friday. And because you are SO not cool.

But really, if there's one thing teenagers do need, it's good adults in their lives. No Matter What adults. The kind who will be there to cheer through the fireworks and pitch in for clean up after the wrecking balls. Always.

They need you.
Louisa Woods is a high school teacher and counsellor, currently filling her days looking after her own three children, writing a bit, singing a bit, and reading as much as she can. Follow the Spinoff Parents on Facebook and Twitter. This content is entirely funded by Flick, New Zealand's fairest power deal. In the past year, their customers saved $489 on average, which would buy enough nappies for months... and months. Please support us by switching to them right now.
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How to be a No Matter What adult: a high school counsellor on what teenagers need from us all

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It's harder to be a teenager today than ever before. So how can you as a parent help? By continuing to show up and support your teen, even when they seem hellbent on pushing you away, says Louisa Woods.

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The Construction of School Violence as a "Moral Panic" by Donna Killingbeck - JCJPC, Volume 8, Issue 3

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The Effects of Teenage Hormones on Adolescent Emotions

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mood swings that teens experience are caused by changes in estrogen, progesterone, & testosterone - hormones that impact adolescent emotions.

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Teenage thugs could be suffering from a mental illness caused by a hormonal imbalance, scientists suggest today.

A Cambridge University study of boys aged between 14 and 18 found a link between levels of stress hormone cortisol and anti-social behaviour.

Cortisol is produced in higher amounts at times of stress and is thought to cause more cautious behaviour, helping people to keep a lid on their temper and any violent impulses.

But in delinquent youths levels of the hormone tend not to rise when they are put in a high pressure or aggressive environment, the 18-month study found.

Its findings point to the possibility of drugs being used in the future to control teenagers' behaviour.

And, at least in some cases, the study also offers an alternative to the theory that teenage bad behaviour is fuelled by peer pressure and a desire to fit in.

Scientists at Cambridge's child and adolescent psychiatry department recruited 165 boys from schools, pupil referring units and the youth offending service.

Saliva samples were taken and tested for cortisol and they were asked to play a computer game, which unknown to them, had been rigged.

As they played, critical messages from an unseen opponent-were flashed up on the screen. Researcher Dr Graeme Fairchild said: 'The game was rigged to be impossible. The whole point is to make them feel angry and annoyed, and as if they were being socially evaluated.'

Saliva samples were taken again afterwards and amounts of cortisol compared. As expected, levels of the hormone - which 'glues' memories into the brain - rose under stress in the boys without behavioural problems.

But they tended to fall in the unruly youngsters, the journal Biological Psychiatry reports.

The study, funded by the Wellcome Trust, suggests anti-social behaviour may be more biologically based than previously thought and that drugs could be developed to tackle it.

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Now teenage thugs can blame their hormones for bad behaviour

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Teenage thugs could be suffering from a mental illness caused by a hormonal imbalance, scientists suggest today. A Cambridge University study of boys aged between 14 and 18 found a link between levels of stress hormone cortisol and anti-social behaviour.

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Adolescence is a time when bodies go through a lot of changes and teenage boys hormones can rage out of control. Some teens seem to experience more problems with getting their emotions under control at this time than others. You may wonder what changes your body might go through during adolescence and what you can expect.

First Signs of Teenage Boys Hormones

As boys head into puberty, testosterone production increases. The increase of this male hormone in the boy's body may result in some of the following initial signs:

Pubic hair

Underarm hair

Beginning a growth spurt

Increase in testicle size

Boys start puberty at different ages, but most commonly between 11 to 13 years of age. Each boy has a different internal clock that tells his body when to begin producing more testosterone, so don't worry if you start puberty a little earlier or even a little later than other boys your age.

Side Effects of Increased Hormones

The increased testosterone in the body has many effects on young males. These can include:

Acne: The increase in hormone levels also causes the oil glands to work more. This can result in acne, which afflicts most teens, both male and female.

Mood Swings: The increased levels of mood swings in a teen boy's body can make the emotions rage out of control at times. Teens might go from feeling sad to feeling happy with little explanation for the change. Some mood variation is normal and will abate when the hormones level out. However, extreme mood swings may be a signal that counseling or medical treatment should be sought.

Voice: The increase in testosterone also begins to create changes in the voice box. This initially appears with the voice cracking and sounding a bit hoarse and eventually results in a deeper, male voice.

Body Odor: One result of increased hormones is the appearance of body odor. Teen boys often have strong body odor and require clinical strength deodorant to relieve these symptoms. Once puberty is complete, most will be able to switch back to regular deodorant, as some of the symptoms will lessen as the hormone levels even out. While body odor will remain when working out or sweating, it is not as likely to be quite so pungent.

Facial Hair: Another sign of increased testosterone is the appearance of facial hair. This is sometimes called "peach fuzz" early on as it will be very sparse and fine. As the teen begins to shave and progresses through the stages of male puberty, this hair will grow darker and coarser.

How Long Does Puberty Last?

The average length of puberty is from two to two and half a years long. After this time, the male body is typically fully developed and the hormones will even out to a steady production of testosterone throughout the remainder of the male's lifespan. If you are a teen boy, or know one, whose emotions seem out of control because of the increase in hormones, the side effects of puberty should pass and eventually emotions will even out.

In very rare cases, teens may need an injection or two of testosterone to get the process of puberty started. This is an option that should be discussed with your doctor only if you are an older teen and not yet showing any signs of starting puberty. It is best to let the body begin producing teenage boys hormones on its own, whenever possible.

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Adolescence is a time when bodies go through a lot of changes and teenage boys hormones can rage out of control. Some teens seem to experience more problems with getting their emotions under control at this time than others. You may wonder what changes your body might go through during adolescence and what you can expect.

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Last updated at 08:20 24 October 2006

Be honest, now. If you saw a group of 14-year-olds vandalising a bus shelter, would you try to stop them - or turn a blind eye?

The sad truth, says Tony Blair's favourite think tank, is that Britons are the least likely of all Europeans to intervene.

Only 34 per cent would confront the vandals, finds a survey by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), while the rest of us would be too afraid of physical attack or verbal abuse to do anything.

So have British adults become the most timid in Europe - or British teenagers the most frightening?

Tragically for our society, the evidence suggests the latter. Figures for juvenile crime, binge drinking and teenage pregnancies add up to a generation out of control, with no respect for authority and nofearoftheconsequencesoftheiractions.

Any number of causes can be cited: family breakdown; a collapse in school discipline; a gang culture imported from abroad and glorified by violent video games; the easy availability of illegal drugs and cheap alcohol; a supine criminal justice system that makes the adult who clips a teenage vandal round the ear far more likely to end up in the cells than the vandal himself... But isn't a part of the problem, too, that modern teenagers are under constant pressure to grow up too fast, before they are ready for the challenges of adulthood?

How can it help that 12-year-olds are to get Government-approved lessons in which they will be encouraged to argue the case for legalising cannabis?

And why are the IPPR's researchers themselves now urging that schools should be forced to give advice on contraception to children as young as ten? Do they honestly believe they will cut teenage pregnancies by planting the idea in impressionable minds that underage sex is a normal part of growing up?

The more children are treated and disciplined like children, the less adults will have to fear from them.

The Golden Goose

Twenty years ago this week, the Big Bang changed the face of the City. At a stroke, 200 years of cosy conventions - long lunches, fixed commissions and the closed-shops of jobbers and brokers - were swept away, to be replaced by a new era of deregulation and cut-throat competition.

Undoubtedly, some of the consequences have been bad. Far too many talented graduates, who might otherwise have been drawn to the sciences or engineering, are now lured to the City by the promise of vast bonuses that have severed all links between honest effort and reward.

On balance, however, the experiment has worked wonders for the British economy. It has secured London's place as the leading financial centre in Europe and arguably the world. Meanwhile tax revenues from the City - despite the slickers' most cunning efforts to avoid payment - have filtered through to the rest of the economy.

Today, however, that Thatcherite legacy is under threat from stealth taxes and red tape, which are driving international companies to take their business elsewhere. We trust the Chancellor will be wise enough not to kill the goose that lays his golden eggs.

Big Brother 2006

This paper is instinctively queasy about Tony Blair's insistence that there should be no limits on the numbers of people - innocent or guilty - whose DNA is stored on his national database.

Doesn't this smack alarmingly of Big Brother?

Oh, and will Mr Blair answer this: when he has used his database to catch the perpetrators of 20 years' worth of unsolved crimes, where exactly will he put them all?

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A young generation totally out of control

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Last updated at 08:20 24 October 2006 Be honest, now. If you saw a group of 14-year-olds vandalising a bus shelter, would you try to stop them - or turn a blind eye? The sad truth, says Tony Blair's favourite think tank, is that Britons are the least likely of all Europeans to intervene.

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This is a little something to help you with your essay.  

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I would encourage you to not only focus on peer reviewed articles. How will you be able to compare the credible with the non-credible if you haven't included much here

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Ever wondered why your eight-year-old son seems suddenly moody and fractious, falling out with friends or bursting into tears at the slightest provocation? Well, it may just be his hormones.

Puberty has long been blamed - with significant scientific justification - for dramatic shifts in emotional and social behaviour, particularly among girls. But Australian scientists have for the first time shown that an early stage of puberty known as adrenarche, which children go through at about eight or nine years of age, may be responsible for similar emotional and behavioural problems in boys.

In a study of more than 1200 Victorian primary school students, researchers at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute found that boys with higher levels of the adrenal androgens - hormones like testosterone - also reported higher levels of behavioural and emotional problems.

The longitudinal research, known as the Childhood to Adolescence Transition Study, follows the children from year 3 onwards, charting hormonal changes alongside social and emotional changes, through questionnaires and saliva samples. The most recent finding has been published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Professor George Patton, head of adolescent health research at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, said it was unclear why these hormones appeared to affect boys more than girls, nor was it yet clear why some boys appeared to be particularly sensitive to these hormones. It may be that the environment in which they grow up, or even their genetic make-up, gives them more of a predisposition to being affected by adrenarche, something that researchers hope to unravel as the study continues.

Nonetheless, the findings could have significant impact on how children in this age group - which has traditionally been thought of as a "latent" period in which nothing much happens - are raised and educated. Despite adrenarche having no obvious external signs, Professor Patton said, there is in fact a great deal going on for boys.

"We've never previously understood why it is that, in the period prior to puberty, you see higher rates of behavioural and emotional problems in boys," he said.

Once puberty proper kicks in at around 12 years of age, the emotional effects of hormonal changes tend to be reversed, having a more significant emotional impact on girls than boys.

Lead researcher on the study, Lisa Mundy, said research interest and funding had long been concentrated in the early years of development - the preschool phase - and the teenage years, while these in-between years have been roundly neglected. But the role of these hormonal changes and their effect on boys' emotional and social development means that it is almost a "second chance" to intervene before children head into adolescence.

"I think this is suggesting that this is possible a second critical phase of development, where we might be able to intervene to 'reset' kids who are on a riskier path," Dr Mundy said.

Professor Patton said researchers would also be looking at how this early vulnerability to emotional disturbance may carry forward into risk-taking or substance-abuse behaviour in the teenage years.

"This is not only a period of huge biological development, it's also an incredible period of psychological and emotional development," he said. "It is during these years that a child really begins to develop that concept of himself or herself that they carry forward into adolescence and adulthood."

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So your son is 8 and he's throwing tanties: Researchers may have found out why

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Ever wondered why your eight-year-old son seems suddenly moody and fractious, falling out with friends or bursting into tears at the slightest provocation? Well, it may just be his hormones. Puberty has long been blamed - with significant scientific justification - for dramatic shifts in emotional and social behaviour, particularly among girls.