4 Troubled Teens Blog

A few weeks ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that one in four young women 14 to 19 years old has a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Now, doctors are warning parents that some STDs do not have symptoms and can go undetected.

The most common female STD can cause cervical cancer and genital warts. The warts look like small, flesh-colored bumps or have a cauliflower appearance. Some may grow into large clusters.

Chlamydia, the second most common STD, usually has no symptoms. However, some females will feel a burning sensation during urination and experience abnormal vaginal discharges. If left untreated, girls will develop symptoms of nausea, lower back and lower abdominal pain, fever, pain during intercourse, and bleeding between periods.

Dr. Louis Tesoro of the Princeton HealthCare System recommends that all teenage girls get annual screenings and vaccinations for STDs.

Labels: sex, girls, sexually transmitted_diseases

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

A first-of-its kind study has found that one in four teenage girls likely has a sexually transmitted disease. The study was conducted by researching a cross-section of medical records for 893 girls nationwide.

"The teens were tested for four infections: human papillomavirus, or HPV, which can cause cervical cancer and affected 18 percent of the girls studied; Chlamydia, which affected 4 percent; trichomoniasis, 2.5 percent; and genital herpes, 2 percent."

Though the data is based on records from 2003-2004, most believe it reflects current prevalence rates among teen girls. Some blame abstinence-only sex education programs that don't teach kids how to protect themselves if they do decide to have sex. Read more at Star-Telegram.com.

Labels: sex, risky_behaviors, sexually transmitted_diseases

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Teenagers with psychiatric disorders are more likely to be sexually active and at higher risk for HIV and sexually transmitted infections, according to a new study from Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center.

• Lead author Larry Brown and his colleagues studied 840 teenagers, average age 15 years old, from Providence, Atlanta, and Chicago.
• Among the group were 150 teenagers with mania, 48 with internalizing disorders, 282 with externalizing disorders, 252 with more than one diagnosis, and 105 in mental health treatment for unspecified reasons.
• These teens were much more likely to be sexually active, to have more partners than any average, and to have sexually transmitted diseases.
• Over 30% had engaged in sex within the past three months, with 15% having four or more partners. Fourteen percent had a sexually-transmitted disease.

The main finding of the study was that teens with certain psychiatric disorders were more likely to engage in risky sex. These were teens in the manic stage of bipolar disorder, and teens with externalizing disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity, conduct disorders, and defiant or hostile behaviors, like stealing.

"Increased sexual risk-taking may be linked to these disorders because they are often associated with impulsive or reckless behaviors, which could include multiple sexual partners or not using condoms regularly," said Dr. Brown. "... The sexual risk behavior of teens with these diagnoses should be carefully and routinely screened as part of their mental health treatment."

This study appears in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.
 

Labels: sex, mental_health, sexually transmitted_diseases

Posted By: CRC Health 1 Comment