Health Care For Girls

1. Health Care For Girls -Youth for Seva,Hyderabad

2. Signs of Puberty • When? – May start from 9 years; Generally 11-12 yrs • Physical Changes: • Growth Spurts • Body shape changes as body fat accumulates around the hips, and • thighs, giving girls a curvier shape. • Breast development • Body odour and skin breakouts due to increased oil gland production. • Hair growth in the underarm area, on the legs and in the pubic area. • Breasts develop first. Then, hair starts growing in the pubic area. Next, hair starts growing in the armpits. In girls, acne usually starts around 13 years of age. Menstruation (the period) usually happens last.

3. EMOTIONAL CHANGES Mood swings may begin, punctuated with bouts of anger, sadness, and other emotional fluctuations. Romantic feelings and interest in the opposite sex. Anxiety and/or excitement about the changes she is going through. Concerns over increased responsibility, fitting in socially etc..

4. What is Menstruation? • Normal cycle: 28-30 days • Upto 35 days is fine • Anaemic – Late periods • Flow: 3-5 days is normal • Initially upto 7 days • Heavy flow exceeding 8-9 days – Time for medical attention

5. Pains, Preventions and Cures PMS: Lower abdomen and calf pain, cramps – Be ready with a napkin. Cure: Fry Jeera/ Saunf/ Ajwain. Coarsely grind, add water and boil. Filter and drink. Take lots of water esp. during cycle. It will ease the pain and the flow. Green leafy vegetables - Iron and ease the flow. Avoid pickles and hot spicy masalas. Avoid raw papaya if flow is more. Bland food is advisable. Drink buttermilk. Buttermilk + sugar and sip slowly - Relieves pain after flow starts.

6. During Flow Green leafy vegetables. - Iron and ease the flow. Avoid ------- Pickles, hot spicy masalas. Avoid Papaya kai if flow is more. Bland food is advisable. Drink buttermilk. Majjige + sugar and sip slowly - relieves pain after flow starts.

7. Common Presentations of Anaemia • Oh!... I am so tired… • Out door games? Not for me! • Why can’t I remember better? • I fall sick so often… • I just can’t cope… • Paleness of skin, eyes and nails.

8. Iron • Anemia is most common nutritional deficiency in adolescents. • Increased red cell mass during adolescence. • Daily need Boys = 12 mg/d & Girls = 18 mg/d Green leafy vegetables, jaggery, wet dates, whole-grain, dried beans, peas & dried fruits, nuts & fortified wheat products, eggs, red meat etc. Calcium • Most bone mass acquired during adolescence. • Typical intake of calcium = about 800 mg/ d • Daily need = 1300 mg • Consumption of soft drinks & caffeine contribute substantially to low calcium intake in adolescents. • Bone mass deficiency may is irreversible. Milk and its products, yogurts, cheese, paneer, banana.

9. Use of napkin. How often it needs to be changed. Cloth, if used, should not be done so for more than three months. Cloth should be very soft .Rough or thick cloth can cause irritation & itching. Cloth has to be washed and sundried, preferably using dettol. Use of cotton undergarments. Should not be extra tight! Bath is extremely important. Esp. if pain exists, nice soothing bath relieves it. Tendency to sweat - remove hair in your armpits etc.. You can help reduce scarring by not squeezing or picking at blemishes. Also, avoid scrubbing your skin. When to start wearing Upper Inner Garments?

11. URINARY INFECTION Girls are more prone to it due to various reasons. Do not wear tight fitting synthetic under garments which cause excessive sweating leading to infection . Drink plenty of water If you hold back urine, it causes stasis in the bladder and promotes infection .

12. Keep it quite casual. No judgments, no opinions and no shame. A little wonder about the miracles involved. Use a very neutral tone and body language. Kids sense our discomfort, and the last thing I want is for them to clam up. Talk with them privately and soon after they’ve asked a question or seen or heard something ‘adult’ or ‘secret’. Help them understand the difference between ‘private’ and ‘secret’. Get them picture and more detailed books (that are screened by me first!) Listen more, talk less. Wait and be patient, they always have one more question. Be prepared for questions to come at the worst possible time. Either deal with it immediately, or make a promise to address it ASAP with them. Keep my eyes and ears peeled when they’re with friends, watching TV, reading the paper/books or listening to music. Sometimes, I don’t wait for Divya to ask, just introduce a conversation thread, that can be taken further if she’s interested. Never laugh at them. I remember my mom burst into laughter when I discreetly asked a very delicate question that was very difficult for me to articulate. I swore never to ask her anything again. Keep it quite casual. No judgments, no opinions and no shame. A little wonder about the miracles involved. Use a very neutral tone and body language. Kids can sense our discomfort. Talk with them privately and soon after they’ve asked a question or seen or heard something ‘adult’ or ‘secret’. Help them understand the difference between ‘private’ and ‘secret’. Get them picture and more detailed books. Listen more, talk less. Wait and be patient, they always have one more question. Be prepared for questions to come at the worst possible time. Either deal with it immediately, or make a promise to address it ASAP with them. Keep your eyes and ears peeled when they’re with friends, watching TV, reading the paper/books or listening to music. Sometimes, just introduce a conversation thread, that can be taken further if she’s interested. Never laugh at them. They might swear never to ask you anything again.

13. BIRDS AND BEES

14. 1. Show the child exactly where s/he cannot be touched by other people. ‘The areas covered by a bathing suit’ are usually the best way to identify these areas. 2. Explain your ideas of exceptions to the rule. e.g. that a parent/nanny/school ayah can touch them while washing or bathing them, but only briefly. And as an aside, teach the kids to wash/clean themselves by age 5 or 6, on the pot, and during a bath. 3. Explain that a doctor may have to examine them there, but always in the presence of the parent. 4. Enact and role-play, showing the child what to do or say in a situation. A child should be able to react automatically. 5. Teach the child to get away, shout, scream, and to tell an adult. If the adult does not believe her, tell her to tell a different adult till she’s believed and helped. Teach her that she’s more important than anybody else. 6. Boys are in as much danger as girls. Don’t fool yourself. Source: http://starsinmeyes.wordpress.com/

15. 7. A self-confident and bold child may be at less risk. Children who question, challenge and think, and don’t accept explanations easily aren’t considered ‘safe’ by a predator (I think). 8. Show the child the parts on an adult’s body that s/he mustn’t touch, even if asked to. For little ones, be very firm when they playfully try to touch you there, teaching them about ‘privacy’ and ‘ownership’. 9. Explain to your child that even older children are not allowed to touch their private parts. 10. Watch out for signs of sexual abuse such as sudden changes in temperament, mood swings, bruising or swelling of genitals, nightmares, loss of bladder or bowel control,  nervousness or fear of a person, loss of interest in school or social activities. 11. Never, ever laugh at or scold the child over anything to do with their bodies and feelings. 12. Model for the child. Don’t accept ‘eve-teasing‘ yourself.

16. Kids can handle the truth. Most parents can’t handle talking about the truth with kids.

17. THANK YOU 