Teen Health Update

By Barbara C. Bourassa

Little kids, little problems. Big kids, big problems. Unfortunately, this old adage is often true when it comes to health issues—while the mother of a 2-year-old takes him to the pediatrician for an ear infection, seeing the doctor with a teenage or adolescent child may involve a bigger or more serious health issue.

While there are many reasons that teens go to the pediatrician, one issue that Rebecca Chase, PNP, a pediatric nurse practitioner with more than 15 years of treating children and teens, is seeing more of these days is anxiety. "There is so much pressure on kids, and girls especially, these days to perform in school, on the stage, or in a sport. Couple that with the pressure of being thin, fitting in, and dressing right, and a lot of girls [in my practice] are showing the symptoms of stress and anxiety," she says.

While a healthy dose of anxiety is normal—experts say it helps your ability to perform—unhealthy levels of anxiety may affect more teens than people know. According to a survey of "teen moods" conducted by the New York University Child Study Center (www.aboutourkids.org), nearly half of adolescents (49 percent) report feelings of anxiety and worry that they perceive to be worse than those of their peers. What's more, a significant percentage of adults and teens who are suffering from anxiety do not get help: The Child Study Center survey found that more than 80 percent of anxious teens have never received treatment for their symptoms.

If left untreated, anxiety can lead to more serious mental health issues. Studies suggest that teens with anxiety disorders are at risk for developing major depression, say experts at the Child Study Center.

Although supportive friendships may be helpful, parents should be aware that among girls, talking excessively about their problems may actually make things worse. A study in July 2007 issue of Developmental Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association (www.apa.org), revealed that "friendships that lend themselves to ruminating about problems may actually contribute to emotional difficulties in girls," according to a prepared statement about the study results. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Missouri at Columbia, found that talking with another person about problems affected boys and girls very differently. For the boys, the result was "greater positive friendship quality." The girls also improved the quality of their friendships, but also had increased depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Mental-health experts recommend seeking professional care if your teen exhibits the common signs of an anxiety disorder, including feeling anxious and worried most days for the past six months or having a hard time controlling the worry. Also, seek professional care if your teenager is experiencing three or more of the following symptoms for six months:

• restlessness or feeling keyed up;
• fatigue or ongoing feelings of low energy;
• difficulty concentrating or mind going blank;
• irritability;
• tense muscles; or
• difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.

The good news is that many teens respond positively to treatments for anxiety, which can include medication or cognitive therapy.

For more information about anxiety in teens, speak to your Doctor and click on any one of these links:

http://www.aboutourkids.org/aboutour/articles/about_anxiety.html#how
http://apahelpcenter.org/articles/article.php?id=7
http://apahelpcenter.org/featuredtopics/feature.php?id=40&ch=2