Health and Sexuality links in the ipl’s For Teens section
Here are some excellent resources for all teens looking to have their embarrassing questions related to health and sexuality answered.
| Topic(s) | Typical Question | Who’s answering? | Website | Website Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| fitness, nutrition, alcohol, drugs, sex, relationships, general health | What medications help with acne? | doctors and health professionals | Go Ask Alice! |
From the site’s “About Go Ask Alice!” page: “Go Ask Alice! is a health Q&A Internet service. It works to provide readers with reliable, accessible information and a range of thoughtful perspectives so that they can make responsible decisions concerning their health and well-being.” |
| varies by hotline; topics include alcoholism, STDs, lgbtq issues, domestic violence, eating disorders |
I cry for no reason, have no energy, and a teacher said I had depression and anxiety. What does that mean? | leading professionals in medicine, mental health, nutrition, guidance, and career counseling | Teen Health and Wellness | From the “About Teen Health and Wellness” page: “Teen Health and Wellness provides teens with nonjudgmental, straightforward support in line with state, national, and provincial standards. All information is put forth using an age-appropriate, sensitive, and respectful approach.” |
| choosing a piercer, a piercing, or jewelry; taking care of your new piercing | Why does the APP oppose “stud guns” used for ear piercing? | professional piercers | Association of Professional Piercers | From the site: “The APP is an international non-profit association dedicated to the dissemination of vital health and safety information related to body piercing to piercers, health-care providers and the general public. This site contains a wealth of factual information about body piercing. “ |
| mental health, sex, sleep, food, fitness, diseases, school, jobs, safety | Should I go on a diet? | doctors review all the information | TeensHealth |
Provides doctor-approved information and advice to questions teens have. Examples are: tattoos, the right weight for your height, is your penis normal, menstruation, why do you get acne, cutting |
| homelessness, running away, shelters, abuse, family, sex, rape, suicide, jobs | What should you do if your family is abusive and you want to run away? | crisis counselors who speak English and Spanish | Covenant House |
A website giving advice to teens. Covenant House is “the largest privately-funded childcare agency in the United States providing shelter and service to homeless and runaway youth.” |
| homework, ESL, GED, learning disabilities, sports, community, friends, family, college | Should I drop out of school? | The NDPC/N gives links to “Reasons to stay in school” and how to “Help someone else stay in school”. You can also e-mail them at ndpc@dropoutprevention.org. | National Dropout Prevention Center – Family/Student Resources |
The NDPC/N’s mission “is to serve as a research center and resource network for practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to reshape school and community environments to meet the needs of youth in at-risk situations so these students receive the quality education and services necessary to succeed academically and graduate from high school.” |
| homework, ESL, GED, learning disabilities, sports, community, friends, family, college | How can I finish high school or get my GED? | Find out how to get a high school diploma or high school equivalency if you left school, as well as other helpful links like how to study for the GED and how to get support to finish high school if you have learning disabilities. | HEATH Resource Center at the National Youth Transitions Center | From the site’s About Us page: “The HEATH resource center gathers and distributes information to assist those with learning disabilities with postsecondary training and education.” |
| sex and sexuality, STDs, pregnancy, abortion, relationships, parenting | If you miss your period, does that mean you’re pregnant? | Planned Parenthood staff or gynecologist/obstetricians | Planned Parenthood |
Provides a wealth of information for young adults regarding sexual health. In particular, explore the Ask Roo section featuring the Planned Parenthood sexual health chatbot, and the Ask the Experts section, which has exhaustive information on an array of topics. |
| family, friends, sex and dating, feelings, bullying, drugs, school, health, violence | Should you tell your parents if you start smoking? | trained volunteer counselors | Kids Help Phone | Kids Help Phone is a hotline for Canadians only, but you can post questions to it and browse/search through previously asked questions. |
| sex, STDs, virginity, abstinence, dating | How do I know when I’m ready to have sex? | young people who remain abstinent themselves or pro-abstinence NBA star A.C. Green | A.C. Green Youth Foundation | From the website’s About page: “A.C. Green Youth Foundation provides information about sexual abstinence and other social issues relating to young people and educates them so they can make responsible choices.” |