Adolescents Flashcards
Define age: early, middle, and late adolescence
Early (11-14)
Middle (15-17)
Late (18-20)
Define stage 1 of Tanner’s developmental stages
Females
- Breast: Pre-pubertal elevation of nipples only
- Pubic: no hair
Males
- no hair
Define Tanner’s stage 2
Females
- breast: breast buds w/ elevated nipples, enlargement of areolar diameter
- pubic hair: sparse, slightly pigmented growth along labia
Males:
- enlargement of scrotum + testes
- reddening + textual changes of scrotal skin
- sparse growth of straight, long, slightly pigmented hair at the base of the penis
Define Tanner’s stage 3
Females
- breast: enlargement of breast + areolar
- pubic hair: darker, coarser, and curlier hair over the entire pubis triangle
Males:
- initial enlargement of penis in length
- further enlargement of testes and scrotum
- darker, coarser, curlier hair spread sparsely over entire pubis
Define Tanner’s stage 4
Females:
- breast: projection of areolar and papilla to form a secondary mound
- pubic hair: denser and curlier, restricted to the pubic area
males:
- penis growth in diameter and length
- development of glans
- scrotum darker
- more abundant hair restricted to pubic area
Define Tanner’s Stage 5
Females:
- breast: matured
- pubic hair: adult-like, spreads to inner thighs
Males:
- matured to adult
- pubic hair spreads to thighs
What are some changes in sexuality in adolescents?
- hormonal, physical, cognitive, and social changes affect sexual development
- body image
- sexual identity
- sexual orientation
- intimacy - important to assess if they are sexually active
What does Erikson say about adolescents?
Identity vs confusion
- develop a stable, coherent picture of oneself
- develop a sense of self and personal identity
- develop autonomy from parents (able to make their own decisions)
- if not, they end up lonely and confused about their identity
Peer support is very important at this stage
What does Piaget say about adolescents?
Formal operational stage
- able to think abstractly and make hypotheses
- increased decision-making ability
- may not use formal operational thought and reasoned decision-making all the time… Teens experience a lot of stressors, competing priorities, and peer pressure –> This impact their thinking and the choices they make
- also engage in risky behaviours
What are two beliefs that adolescents have? How do they impact health?
Imaginary audience - think that everyone is watching and judging them
- leads to issues w/ body image and self-esteem
Personal fable - thinking that something will not happen to them
- leads to high-risk behaviors (reckless driving, drug use, unprotected sex)
What are common health concerns of adolescents
- physical, sexual, and emotional abuse
- school and learning problems
- sleep deprivation and insomnia
- HTN + HLD –> fast food
- STIs and teen pregnancy
- tanning and skin cancer
- substance and alcohol use
- dietary habits, eating disorders, and physical fitness
- depression and suicide
What is HEEEADSSS?
Assessment for adolescents:
Home, Education/Employment, Eating, Activities, Drugs, Sexuality, Suicidal ideation and Safety
When conducting the assessment, make sure not to make any assumptions! Ask open-ended questions and let the adolescent guide the discussion.
If a child tells you they have thoughts of killing themselves, do you tell the parents?
- Depends on the context and the patient’s wishes
○ Consider the age and their capacity to understand the questions from the assessment- Under the MH act, if the child is at risk of hurting themselves or others, you are obligated to tell the caregiver and be admitted on form 1
