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Dear WHAT,
I am a 13 year old girl and still haven’t started my period. All of my friends have and make fun of me because I haven’t. Is there something wrong with me?

In all likelihood there is nothing wrong with you. Girls start their period (menarche) at different ages. All sorts of variables affect when you begin. Your weight, physical activity level, heredity and nutrition all are related to the age of your first period. Although your friends may be giving you a hard time now – it won’t last. When you do start you period it may be irregular at first; so don’t worry if you don’t have one every month. If you have a regular health care provider, you may want to ask more about this at your next visit. Your school nurse and your parents may be another source of information.

The WHAT Team

Dear WHAT,
I have heard that condoms don’t protect you from getting STDs is that true?

Well, if you have heard that the only 100% fool-proof way of not getting an STD (or pregnant for that matter) is by not having any type of sex (being abstinent), that is true. However while condoms may not offer 100% protection against all STDs, they have been proven to be highly effective when used properly. They are particularly effective at preventing certain diseases like HIV/AIDS and not quite as effective against others like genital warts. However they do work and are definitely better than not using them. Remember that being on birth control like the pill may protect you against becoming pregnant but it offers NO protection against STDs. If you are sexually active, protect yourself and your partner – use a condom.

The WHAT Team

Dear WHAT,
I’m having troubles spacing out in class and falling asleep in an upright position, What can I do about it?

The first thing I would do is to start getting a full night of sleep (7-8 of consistent sleep). We know how stressful and how many demands are placed on our teens these days which might make it so you can’t get that much sleep. For this we would suggest to organize you day, prioritize what is most important for you to accomplish, group tasks together, and follow a time table. This should allow you to free up some time to catch a few extra Z’s or at least help to cut down on some stress. Too much stress can also make it difficult for you to concentrate, so find a healthy outlet for it like, exercise, yoga, guided imagery, or progressive muscle relaxation to name a few. If you are having trouble falling asleep at night, cut out caffeine, especially at night. If after you have done all that you still are having problems staying awake, see your health care provider. Fatigue and difficulty staying awake could be a sign of some illnesses and should be checked out.

The WHAT Team

Dear WHAT,
If I decide to be sexually active, how often should I be checked out?

Before you take that step you need to make sure you and your partner are ready and have discussed what type of contraception you plan to use and what happens if… Remember most forms of birth control just prevent pregancy they don’t safeguard against STDs. When you take that step you want to get tested for STD’s with every new partner or at least once a year. It is also important to get a HIV test. You will need to get two tests six months apart to verify results. The reason for this is the virus can take a long time for it to be able to detected. If you do find that you have an STD, it is very important to get treated, follow the doctor's directions, take all medications and to make sure you partner gets treated also so that you don’t reinfect each other.

The WHAT Team