ARTICLES RELATED TO:
Adolescent Medicine

Dr. Monica Barreto highlights the importance of the mind-body connection and the vital role of parents in supporting youth mental health.

Among the many experts at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida is Dr. Lonna Gordon, an Adolescent Medicine specialist. She has devoted her life to shaping health outcomes for the second decade of life – a pivotal period that lays the foundation for a lifetime of well-being. Dr. Gordon shares her passion for her work: “The second decade of life is the most instrumental in shaping your health outcomes for life. I love that I get to be a part of teaching that group of people how to best care for their health.” Her decision to pursue a career in medicine was driven by her desire to guide young individuals through the transformative journey of adolescence, a time of transition, development, and self-discovery. Dr. Gordon’s journey came full circle as she found herself working at the institution that had played a significant role in her own childhood. “I grew up in Florida, […]

Perhaps we need to rethink how we talk to our teenagers who have a weight issue. At the Nemours Eating Disorders Evaluation and Management Program, we see teenagers who pinpoint the onset of their eating disorder to comments made by well-intentioned doctors, coaches, or health teachers.

Rates of mental health concerns among adolescents, including depression and suicidal thoughts, have risen substantially in recent years. Studies have also shown that the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. has disproportionately affected people with low socioeconomic status, as well as Black, Indigenous, and Latino people, all of whom have experienced higher rates of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. According to suicide.org, about 20 percent of all teens experience depression before they reach adulthood, but only about 30 percent of teens are being treated for their symptoms. Pediatric primary care is an important setting for routine mental health screening among adolescents. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends universal screening by primary care providers for all patients 12 years of age and older at their annual well visits. Depression screenings are important because signs can often be missed if they are not obvious to untrained individuals.  Kids who are in distress often […]