Women's Health

Each breast has 15 to 20 sections (lobes), which are arranged like the petals of a daisy. Each lobe has many smaller lobules, which end in dozens of tiny bulbs that can produce milk.

A child's growth not only involves the length and weight of his or her body, but also internal growth and development.

Breast development occurs in distinct stages, first before birth, and again at puberty and during the childbearing years. Changes also occur to the breasts during menstruation and when a woman reaches menopause.

Parents need to realize the rational part of a teen’s brain isn’t fully developed and won’t be until he or she is 25 years old or so.

During adolescence, the developing teenager acquires the ability to think systematically about all logical relationships within a problem.

Adolescent attention often shifts to a more intense focus on social interactions and friendships expanding from same sex friends to same sex groups of friends to heterosexual groups of friends.

Encourage your teen to eat three balanced meals a day, with fruits or vegetables as snacks.

For overweight children 7 and older, the initial goal is to keep them from gaining more weight. Changes in eating habits and exercise are gradually introduced to trim pounds.

Some breast changes or conditions are related to a young woman's menstrual cycle, but others may occur at any time. Most breast conditions are benign.

Amenorrhea is a menstrual condition in which a woman's menstrual periods are absent for more than three monthly cycles. Pregnancy is one possible cause of amenorrhea.

Most females experience some unpleasant or uncomfortable symptoms during their menstrual cycle. The type and intensity of symptoms vary.

Acne is a disorder of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands. With acne, the sebaceous glands are clogged, which leads to pimples and cysts.

The medical community once thought depression affected only adults. The risk for the condition begins in the early teens, however, and increases steadily through the mid-20s.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is eating disorder that is a form of self-starvation. A person with AN has abnormally low body weight, a distorted body image, and an intense fear of gaining weight.

Bulimia nervosa is defined as uncontrolled episodes of overeating (bingeing) usually followed by self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, enemas, or medications in an attempt to control weight.

Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia have risen steadily to affect nearly 10 million women (and 1 million men).

Doctors think teens who have metabolic syndrome face a high risk for the early onset of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Children who are inactive—spending time watching TV or sitting at a computer—are at higher risk for obesity, especially when their diet contains lots of high-calorie foods and beverages.

Childhood obesity is more prevalent in the Northeast, followed by the Midwest, South and West. It is also more prevalent in cities than in rural areas.

Children who weigh too much face a broad array of health problems, with type 2 diabetes leading the list.

People who become addicted to drugs or alcohol typically go through predictable stages of abuse. Understanding these stages can help you recognize a problem and seek help before substance use becomes an addiction.

Substances frequently abused by adolescents include alcohol, marijuana, and amphetamines. Some teens are at higher risk of developing substance-related disorders.

Many young people take prescription drugs because they believe they are safer than street drugs, but they can be just as dangerous if taken improperly.

Adjustment disorders are quite common in children and teens. They are characterized by an excessive reaction to stress.

Teen girls who are athletes face unique obstacles when it comes to their bodies and how well they perform.

The best way to eliminate sliding injuries is to use bases designed to pop loose when they are struck too hard.

Most child and teen bicycle crashes occur between May and August and between the hours of 3 and 6 p.m.

Most skateboard crashes occur because of irregular riding surfaces or because of inexperience. Sprains and fractures of the wrist are the most common results of a fall.

Some helmets are multi-sport and can be used for in-line-skating, skateboarding, bicycling, or other wheel sports. Helmets that are called "bicycle helmets" are designed only for that sport.

Encourage your adolescent to take swimming, diving, and water safety or rescue classes to give him/her the skills needed to swim and dive safely.

You'll need to know mom's and dad's current height to help calculate the estimate of how tall the child will be when she or he becomes an adult.