Advice about teens' acceptance of themselves and the adults, particularly pediatricians, who should be helping them do just that.
Would you advise against any of the following (assuming either parents or a teenager seeks your advice)? Why?
As far as I'm aware, none of these efforts to affect appearance or performance causes temporary or lasting physical harm. Many readers would probably not be concerned about some, or perhaps any, of these proposals. But is there a point at which an effort to achieve a more ideal appearance or to succeed athletically is unhealthy just because of what it says about the adolescent's (or adult's) inability to accept who and what he or she is? Or are attempts to improve appearance just a normal part of growing up, expected and acceptable as long as they aren't harmful?
We all try to alter our appearance, and some of us take vitamin pills we probably don't need and harmless supplements to avoid memory loss and other horrors of getting older. Each of us has her own idea about when these attempts are excessive, silly, too expensive, or not worth the risk. Adults should be able to help adolescents find that line, providing them, respectfully, with the information they need to make healthy choices and helping the adolescents understand that by the time they are old enough to worry about memory loss, the accomplishments and relationships they cherish most will have nothing to do with muscles or the size of their nose.
Julia McMillan. Editorial: Under construction.
Contemporary Pediatrics
2000;7:9.
Overcoming pediatric obesity: Behavioral strategies and GLP-1 support
October 4th 2024Kay Rhee, MD, discusses the challenges of pediatric obesity treatment, highlighting the role of biological and environmental factors, behavioral interventions, and the potential benefits of GLP-1 medications in weight management for children and teens.