ARTICLES RELATED TO:
Adolescent Medicine

Adolescents are at a point in their lives where everything is (or simply feels like) it’s changing all around them. They’re gaining new skills as they learn and grow; they’re taking on new responsibilities as they gain more independence; and they’re navigating new social challenges — within their families, at school, and among friends as their peer group members also mature and grow. Meanwhile, their bodies are undergoing rapid physical, mental, and emotional development. When you put it all together, this can often lead to that feeling of uncertainty that most of us experienced growing up. This adolescent uncertainty leads to three core questions that almost every teenager goes to bed wondering: These questions are fundamental to an adolescent’s development and health, which is why there are differences in pediatric and adolescent medicine. Pediatrician checkups begin to change to include more questions about mental, emotional, and social well-being. Our goal […]

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 […]