Total Teen Health and Wellness: A Doctor's Guide for Parents

Therapy is an important part of mental health care for teenagers. Patients improve  more when they are connected to a therapist who helps them build healthy coping skills, work on relationship issues and improve their self esteem. There are many different approaches to therapy in teens. Today, Dr. Shanna Garza, Adolescent Medicine physician and expert explains why therapy is helpful for her patients and why she refers them for therapy. Parents, listen to learn more and to see if therapy might help your young adult child.

Parents are the ultimate teachers for their kids and can be role models by showing balance with food, body and exercise. Following up Episode #23 on Why Diets are Not Good for Teens, this episode reviews how parents can help their teen and young adult children see food, nutriton and exercise in a more balanced way. Dr. Shanna Garza, Adolescent Medicine physician and expert, provides parents pearls to guide these discussions and cautions on talking about diet, weight loss and body image with their children.


Here are few books to guide healthy discussions around these issues:

The Intuitive Eating Workbook for Teens: A Non-Diet, Body Positive Approach to Building a Healthy Relationship with Food

by Elyse Resch


Health At Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight

by Linda Bacon

Anti-Diet: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being, and Happiness Through Intuitive Eating

by Christy Harrison MPH RD

The diet industry targets teenagers during this time of new years' resolutions through social media and marketing. Dieting is never a good idea for teenagers who are still growing and developing. Dieting, which is essentially restrictive eating and weight suppression, increases the risk of developing eating disorders. There are many medical concerns with weight loss and restrictive nutrition in adolescents. Parents, listen to this episode to learn more! Dr. Shanna Garza, Adolescent Medicine physician and host of Total Teen Health and Wellness, explains the risk of dieting on teen health and wellness.

Parents hear scary stories in the news every week about drug overdoses in teens related to prescription pill misuse. 10% of teenagers report misusing a prescription drug in the last six months. Now, the risk is even greater given how many pills are counterfeit and laced with fentanyl. Dr. Shanna Garza, Adolescent Medicine expert, reviews the risks of prescription drug abuse in teenagers and how parents can help their teens stay safe.

To learn more about the risk of marijuana use in Teenaager and young adults, check out my last episide: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1751064/episodes/11439820

Find and follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/total-teen-health-and-wellness-a-doctors-guide-for-parents/id1561803110

Teenagers and young adults have easy access to marijuana, and many are using cannabis frequently and heavily. Chronic use of marijuana has higher risks to young people due to the developing teen brain. Dr. Shanna Garza reviews medical and mental health risks that are more significant in adolescents. Parents, listen to learn more about the possible effects heavy marijuana use can have for your teen and young adult children. There are higher rates of depression, anxiety, psychosis and schizophrenia, leading to a very significant negative impact on adolescent mental health. 

In honor of September being National Suicide Prevention Month, Dr. Shanna Garza discusses risk factors and warnings signs for suicide in teenagers and young adults. There are many mental health and medical risk factors for which patients need to get care. In Adolescent Medicine, we treat patients for all types of mental health issues which helps prevent the risk for suicide. Parents want to know the warning signs for suicide in their teen children. Dr. Garza, Adolescent Medicine physician and expert, provides helpful guidance for parents to be informed and know when to get their children help.

In Adolescent Medicine, we are often the first doctors to address patient concerns related to women's health and gynecology. In this episode, Dr. Shanna Garza, Adolescent Medicine physician and expert, reviews common gynecology concerns she treats in teenagers and young adults. Common concerns include many different issues related to periods, pelvic pain, ovarian cysts, vulvar pain and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  Listen to learn more about how to get your teenager the help they need!

Listen to recent episodes addressing other women's health and sexuality concerns:

Contraception in Teens:
https://totalteenhealthandwellness.buzzsprout.com/1751064/10903344-16-contraception-options-for-teenagers-learn-how-to-help-your-teen-prevent-pregnancy

Healthy Sexuality in Teens:
https://totalteenhealthandwellness.buzzsprout.com/1751064/10983539-17-healthy-sexuality-in-teenagers-is-your-teen-ready-to-have-sex-and-stay-safe

Sexually Transmitted Infections:
https://totalteenhealthandwellness.buzzsprout.com/1751064/11027290-18-sexually-transmitted-infections-what-your-teenager-or-young-adult-child-needs-to-know

Sexually transmitted infections (STI's) are common infections in sexually active teens. Many teens don't know that they are infected or that they have been exposed. Dr. Shanna Garza, Adolescent Medicine physician and clinic director of Girls to Women/Young Men's Health- McKinney, reviews commonly occuring STI's. Teens need to know how to prevent STI's, when to be checked and how to be treated. Check out this episode to learn more about how to help your kids get the care they need regarding their sexual health. Consider sharing the episode with your teen or young adult child too!

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/total-teen-health-and-wellness-a-doctors-guide-for-parents/id1561803110

Parents of teenagers and young adults can start the conversation around healthy sexuality with their children. Dr. Shanna Garza, Adolescent Medicine expert and host of Total Teen Health and Wellness, guides parents on what questions to ask to make sure their teens are ready to have sex. Open communication between parents and teenagers helps teens understand their own values around sex and really think through their readiness for sex. Listen to learn more in this concise and informative episode!

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to learn more:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/total-teen-health-and-wellness-a-doctors-guide-for-parents/id1561803110

Many Adolescent patients and their parents are very concerned about having access to effective contraception to prevent pregnancy. Given the recent ban on access to abortion in many states, including Texas, sexually active teenagers and young people are wanting to know more about their options and how to access effective contraception. Dr. Shanna Garza, Adolescent Medicine expert, provides concise guidance and recommendations for teens to optimally manage their sexual and reproductive health. 

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/total-teen-health-and-wellness-a-doctors-guide-for-parents/id1561803110