Topic: Health
Following are the questions our readers asked on this topic. To view our expert's answer to a question, just click on it.
- My son (14) has developed the worst health habits. He doesn't like showers, toothbrushes, or Kleenex. I can only nag him so much. How can I motivate him to get with the program?
- Elise (17) stays up till all hours and then just wants to nap when she gets home from school, often through dinner. I feel like we never see her. Is this normal?
- My daughter is 12 and wants to use tampons. Is 12 too young to be using tampons?
- My son is going out for the football team and they'll start practice later in the summer. Should he start eating differently for the next few months?
- My own eating habits are terrible. I have struggled with my weight all my life - dieting and going off diets. How can I instill better habits in my two teen daughters (13 and 16)? I'm really concerned about anorexia, bulimia, etc. as a backlash reaction.
- Both of us are overweight. My daughter only eats the things she see me eat. I try to tell her not to be like me but it's really not working. We will be starting a new diet on Monday. This time I hope we both follow through. Can you give us some advice on how to keep on going to a healthier lifestyle and leave the unhealthy lifestyle alone?
- hi, my 12 year old daughter sometimes has trouble with panic attacks. she worries a lot about all kinds of stuff (example: death of parents). How can I easy her mind and explain to her not to worry about things she can't control? How do I handle this?
- When is a good age to have your teen see an ob/gyn? Mine is 12 and hasn't started her period (thank god). When should I take her in?
- I need your help. My 16 years old son would not eat vegetables or fruits…. He is always constipated and complaining of stomach pains… he feels tired all the time… feeding him a meal is the biggest chore of the day for me. I work and am not home until 6 p.m. All he eats when he comes from school is cookies – if that is not available he wouldn’t eat anything – when asked “what did you eat in school?” he would say “nothing because I don’t like school food at all.” I have offered him to take food to school but he wouldn’t … I need to know how to handle this problem. Please help.
- My daughter exhibits almost all of your warning signs. She is going to a Christian therapist an has been on a very low dosage of Prozac---haven't seen alot of difference. The therapy---yes, i agree it helps.Some changes, but not a lot. She's been going to a therapist since around Thanksgiving. what do you suggest?
- At the beginning of the school year we moved to a different state with our three teenagers. The oldest had just graduated from high school, our middle daughter was entering the 11th grade, and our son beginning the 9th grade. Immediately our 11th grader determined she didn't want to go to the new school. She refused to get out of bed. She missed several weeks, we talked to the school staff, and ultimately got her into school. Things were fine... that is until after the Christmas break. Now she once again refuses to go to school, will not even speak with us, locks herself in her room, and won't get out of bed. When we try to talk to her, she just covers her head and refuses to talk. We have talked about getting her to go to the doctor, but can't get any response from her. We are at our wits end. Do we physically pick her up, put her in the car and take her to a doctor? I know if we do, there will be a big fight, crying, yelling, etc. It will be a phically fight to get her out of the house, in the car, and into the doctor. However, I don't really know of an alternative. Are their therapists that make house calls? Even so, I'm sure she will lock the door and refuse to speak or cooperate. She has no problems with drugs, her grades, while not great, were average. The only comments we got from her during the first semester was that she "couldn't make friends." She doesn't have any phsicaly problems or issues such as problems with weight, other health problems, etc. She is an extremely attractive young lady, but we cannot and do not know how to deal with her depression. Please help! Thanks
- My soon to be 14 year old daughter struggles with depression and anxiety and is receiving treatment (medication and therapy). She has recently expressed a desire to have a baby with an older boy whom we didn't even know about. We've since kept her at home, allowing her to only go to school, or with a freind if I know the parent and the parent will be there the entire time. I hate to revert to treating her like a toddler, but there's obviously no way she's ready for all that goes with sexual relationships, not to mention a baby. I know this is a desire for unconditional love on her part, and we're working on ways to help her find fulfillment and build self esteem. In the meantime, Would I be totally off base in speaking with a physician about long term, reversible birth control (such as an implant that she cannot remove or "forget" to take)? I can't keep her "locked away" forever, and want to make sure that at least she wouldn't have a pregnancy on top of everything else.
- My 7th grade daughter is being treated for depression. She is very bright and has great academic potential. She is constantly being asked to stay after school to make up missing assignments. She does her work when we sit her down and make her, but then may not turn it in the next day. I don't know the proper way to deal with a depressed child and missing school work. Any of my other children I would take privileges away. I worry about being too hard or too easy on her and don't know where that line is. In the meantime, a great deal of my time is spent communicating with her teachers and trying to figure out how to get her to do her work. I feel that I'm just spinning my wheels. Any suggestions?
- My daughter eats a ton of food. She is very slender, but my husband is worried that her habits will catch up with her. She eats a mix of healthy and junk. She is very active in sports, running track daily and physical play at home. She is 13 years old. How concerned should he be?
- My 14 year old son appears calm and cool on the outside, but is really a bundle of nerves before every important event. So much so, he ends up throwing up nearly everyday. Whether it's a big test, basketball try-outs, going to the movies with his friends, a party, or any other normal situation, he's throwing up before he goes. How can I help? Even though it's often just phlegm he spits up, (he has stopped eating before an event to try to keep from vomiting) I am concerned about his mental and physical states.Please help!!
- My grandson is 14 and lives about 2 hours away from me with his dad. He used to live with his mom and my husband and I, or I was taking care of him mornings and afternoons while his mom worked. So even though he has never been one to eat breakfast unless "prodded" to, one of us could usually get him to eat. Since he moved in with his dad last summer, his eating habits have deteriorated. His dad is into junk food and fast food, and that is what my grandson eats. Also, he does not eat breakfast and eats pizza or junk food for lunch. My question is: how can I help him to eat in the morning when I'm can't be there to "push" him to it? A concerned grandmother
- Hi I have a 16 year old daughter who is depressed and cannot sleep. She has low self esteem even though she is beautiful and really smart. I am a divorced single working mother and cannot monitor her - I would like to get her involved in an activity for the month of July while sort out her problems. Do you have any suggestions? AK
- My daughter is 5'9" and weighs 170 lbs at age 14. She eats very quickly and eats a lot. I had trouble with my weight all my life, and I'm concerned that she will too, but I've been trying to refrain from making comments, as she has ignored any advice I've tried to pass along. In the past she was active in sports, but now has not made the school teams, and doesn't want to go to the Y with me to work out. I think she is experimenting with throwing up after meals and I am not sure what to do next. Any advice?
- How can I convince my ex-husband of 8 year that our son (6th grade) has ADHD? He tells him he doesn't have to take the medicine and it's interfering in his school work and his behavior at home and at school. My ex- has never spoken to a doctor, teacher, social worker, psychologist and only is looking for a buddy on the weekend that he spends with his son. That not exactly looking out for his best interest. lwaldman@bellsouth.net
- My son is 16. Last year he was attacked at school and suffered severe brain trauma. Lost a full year of school, his personality went from a decent,caring ,loving,kid to as verbal and physical violent person. There were other things on that line and we were told it was due to the brain trying to heal itself and could take up to 2 yrs. As I said it's been 1 yr. and he was on a mood stabilizer Rx. It worked fine but then the more he healed the more adverse the rx worked. We were also told any problems he had resolved may come back full force w/o any resolutions. Now, 95% healed, he tells me in counseling-he hates me,has 0 respect for me,I'm worhtless,i'm useless,and he sees his Aunt-my sister as his mom. Is this also part of a Teen,part of healing Neurologically,or both or something else? I love him beyond my life,but, his words are more then I can emotionally take. He feels the same to my husband. Is there anything we can do or have/are we doing it?