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Teens Coping with Asthma and Allergy
Posted by Jamie on Friday, September 05, 2008
For teens with chronic medical conditions, learning to deal with their symptoms and to manage their own health is an important part of growing up. Teens and asthma or allergy symptoms can be a volatile mix. Many parents have monitored their children’s symptoms for years, but during their teenage years, the child has to learn to take care of him/herself. During this time, teens are more independent, spend less time with their parents, and are confronted with a myriad of tough choices. Some teens hate monitoring these symptoms. They just want to fit in, to forget about their allergies or asthma, and to hang out with their friends.
The problem is that teens with new found freedoms like to push the boundaries. Teen asthma and allergy sufferers want to take the focus off their health issues--to conform and be like everyone else. The children either do not understand the health risks or often they do not care about the risks. A recent Newsweek article examines this phenomenon in more detail. “Testing the limits is a normal part of adolescence,” says Dr. Paul Strumph, chief medical officer of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. “But they don’t understand the long-term consequences.”
According to the article, a Cincinnati Children’s Hospital study found that 74 % of teens dramatically overestimate their ability to manage their asthma. “Some kids who were coughing every night thought their asthma was in good control," says study co-author Dr. Maria Britto. Some data show that fewer than half of teens with asthma take their medicine regularly. Many teens working after school jobs, practicing sports, or spending time with friends need often do not prioritize monitoring their symptoms.
Severe food allergy sufferers should carry life-saving EpiPens® with them at all times. Some teens will claim they are carrying epinephrine, when in reality they have left the drug at home or in their school locker. Teens with food allergy also need to be sensitive to what they are eating. Many do not worry about taking unnecessary risks on murky food labels. A desire to fit in coupled with the typical teen's sense of immortality can be a particularly dangerous combination.
What can parents do to reinforce proper health techniques? Starting while a child is young and slowly familiarizing them with every aspect of their condition can be an excellent foundation for their teen years. The best way to encourage teens to take charge of their own health is to communicate with them. Talk about the risks and the long term benefits of taking the proper medication. Empower the teens with a sense of responsibility. One cool and tech savvy example from the Newsweek article is to have teens create and send text message reminders to themselves to take medication or carry their inhalers with them. Download a popular ring tone to go with the text message. Hopefully, staying on top their chronic conditions can lead to a safer and happier teenage rebel....
...ok, maybe just safer. Tags: Teens Allergies Asthma
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