What makes it so difficult to understand adolescents?
Adolescents have their own language, and it's not always audible.
She's so quiet that I can barely hear her when she speaks, which is not often. She looks at me with doe-like eyes, helpless and forlorn. I wonder what she sees.
I see an attractive 15-year-old,* sitting in the corner of the armchair across from me. She looks down at her shoes, past my head, anywhere but at my eyes. I am patient with her. I don't want this doe to run away.
What causes this change in a child's world? There are many possibilities:
o The parents have marital problems, causing tension at home
o One or more siblings has issues that draw the parents' attention and energy
o The girl bears too much responsibility at home
o Advancement to high school leads to new social pressures
o Diminished self-esteem results from bodily changes
o Personality factors, such as perfectionism or impulsivity, increase vulnerability
o A close friend joins a different group and she feels rejected and lonely
o The girl suffered abuse, either physical, emotional or sexual
When a problem is not dealt with, or it is combined with another stressor, the result will be overload. For example, a 12-year-old may develop scoliosis and have to wear a body brace to school. She feels self-conscious and uncomfortable. Then one of her younger siblings starts to misbehave, and her parents become tense and preoccupied. They are unable to support her as she goes through a difficult adjustment. This girl becomes at risk for psychological problems. What kind of help does she need?
The threat is real and there are changes we need to make to protect these children. If we fail to help them, we are failing to help ourselves as they are our future. No one can give a minimum number of hours that is safe. Computer use is unnatural to our way of existence as humans. There are however things we can do to ensure that though computers hurt, the hurt is not devastating.A study by Michigan State University found that Child and Adolescent Health Centers in schools provide a long-term positive impact on students’ well-being and overall health.
The centers, run by nurses or physician’s assistants, are similar to a pediatrician’s office except that they are located in or around schools, providing students quick access to medical attention.
“These are full, all-out clinics, and if a kid needs a flu shot or a check-up then they can have it taken care of right there,” James McCurtis spokesperson at the Michigan Department of Community Health said. “A lot of these kids may not have insurance or their families have a low income.”
“The concept is that instead of having (a school nurse) call a parent and having them take them out of school, they could go right down the health clinic that’s right there,” Coordinator of the Child and Adolescent Health Center Program Taggert Doll said.
The statewide study, the Michigan Evaluation of School-Based Health, followed three groups of students for three years. The groups of students included those with a Child and Adolescent Health Center at their school, those who just recently got a center at their school and those without a center at school. Some herbals like Evening Primrose Oil are extensively for adolescent age symptoms.
