HEALTHY TEENAGER: SPECIAL PROBLEMS OF GIRLS
Breasts
Some adolescent girls feel shy, or even ashamed, because of their breast development. Mothers should encourage them to be proud of their developing womanhood.
Mothers should not only emphasize the fact that breast development is a normal part of puberty, but also explain that shortly before or during menstruation, some tenderness and swelling are apt to occur and should cause no concern.
I describe the breasts and problems connected with their size in more detail in Chapter 18.
Body hair
The adolescent girl may develop an excess of hair over the thighs and legs or under the arms. Facial hair sometimes becomes disfiguring. Parents should take this seriously, because it can be very important to a sensitive young girl. If neither bleaching nor shaving seems a satisfactory solution, your daughter may want to have the hair permanently removed. This can be dangerous if it is attempted by anyone but an expert.
Menstruation
Usually menstruation begins at 12 to 14 years of age, but it may start as early as 10 or as late as 18. Maturing early or late often runs in a family. However, if a girl’s menstrual periods begin at 10 or earlier, or if they have not started by the time she is 17, a doctor should be consulted. A doctor should also be consulted if the characteristic changes of puberty—the development of the breasts, pubic hair, and so on—occur unusually early or late.
All girls, and boys as well, should be told about menstruation— preferably by their mothers—before they and their friends reach the age of puberty. It is not easy to say exactly how they should be told. Parents should not give children information which they cannot understand, or in which they are not interested. The opportunities for privacy, the possibility of the child’s learning about menstruation from other sources, and similar factors must all help to determine the age at which each child should be told about it. The important thing is the attitude of the person giving the information.
Menstruation is not a sickness, and it is not something to be ashamed of. It should not be called the curse. Mothers should explain to their teenage daughters that many females experience some discomfort or cramps in the lower abdomen, usually at the onset of a period, and that menstruation may be a nuisance for the first day or days, especially if the flow is profuse. However, it should cause no real difficulty.
Pad Versus Tampon. Either is safe from a health standpoint. If the flow is profuse, pads may be required to absorb it. Most virgins can use the small-size tampons, and mothers should not imply that a girl who uses a tampon is not ‘nice.’
Feminine hygiene
Aside from ordinary washing and bathing, no feminine hygiene measures are necessary. Baths or showers may be taken during menstruation, although extremely hot or cold ones should be avoided. Women and girls who prefer not to bathe during their periods should wash the outer genital parts with warm water and soap at least once or twice a day.
If strong odours persist or if there is a discharge from the vaginal passage between periods, be sure to see a doctor. These discharges and odours usually result from an infection that should be attended to.
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