Growing Teens and Health Issues

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2003
Growing Teens and Health Issues
9
Sun, 05-07-2006 - 7:00pm

I've noticed that in the last year as my 14 going on 15 yo daughter has begun to grow physically she is frequently ill. I don't know if its solely attached to the typical physical changes at this age or if its also about the fact that she is so much more out and about and exposed to more people with colds and viruses. I notice that so many of her friends are frequently ill too. And they could be spreading it around but I'm also curious whether its just normal for immune systems of young teens to be a bit weak.

In the last year she has grown at least two to three inches taller, begun menstruation, and developed a more curvy shape. She works out daily as she is a competitive dancer so she's in amazing shape physically. She's never been a great eater but I have her on multivitamins as a supplement during this growth period in her life.

Its just that I don't recall a single year like the last one. She gets a cold, it lasts about a week, then she has a few days of feeling good and it starts all over again. Just wondering if others notice a weaker immune system in their teenage kids?

Avatar for audreyoka
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 05-07-2006 - 9:58pm

You mentioned she's a dancer. Do the girls share water bottles? When my daughter was active physcially at school, all the kids shared food, shared sodas and shared water bottles. As soon as she stopped doing that, she quit getting sick as much.

Audrey :)
http://www.scrapping-made-simple.com

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sun, 05-07-2006 - 10:35pm

Hi Audrey! I'm a frequent lurker on this board. I recognized your reply about the water bottles from a discussion we had one day! I didn't know you were such a hardcore scrapbooker. You should spend some time with my DD and my co-teacher -- when they get together, they can scrapbook for hours! When your scrapbook business takes off, can I have your job?


Hugs,


Deborah

Avatar for audreyoka
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 05-08-2006 - 8:49am

Deborah,

Don't lurk!!! Post your thoughts here. One of the reasons I talk to others about my own kids is to get more information, to learn what has worked for others and what has not worked for others. Of course, I also share what has and has not worked for me as a parent.

You and I both have daughters who will fly alone this summer. It's scary. By posting my concerns I had other moms share about their own kids flying alone and what has worked to help put their minds at ease.

Jen and I scrapbook for hours also. We strive to find one night a week we can just chill and add some pages to our albums.

As for my job...sorry, I'm not leaving any time soon LOL.

Audrey :)
http://www.scrapping-made-simple.com

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2003
Mon, 05-08-2006 - 9:04am
Come to think of it, I read an article about how keyboards and telephones at the office have more germs on them than the typical toilet seat (yuck!). And now that I think of it one thing my daughter DOES do alot is share cell phones and ipods and and calculators and pens and pencils with other kids at school. This has got to be how they are all spreading it around so much! Because when my dd's sick usually one or more of her friends are too...
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 05-08-2006 - 12:13pm

I lurk mostly because of the time factor. I do

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-02-2003
Mon, 05-08-2006 - 12:28pm
yes, i did notice this in my son when he was around 13-14. his pediatrician said that it s a puberty thing.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 05-08-2006 - 2:44pm

Allergies?

They can come on at any time of life.

I don't remember this with my kids although my oldest had appendicitis at 12 and I was told that prepuberty/early puberty is a prime time for that so maybe there is something with immune systems????

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 05-08-2006 - 6:25pm

My DD is in the Jazz Choir at her school. Back in December, when they were preparing for their holiday concerts, the kids

Avatar for mily12
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-18-2003
Mon, 05-08-2006 - 6:53pm

I'm releived to hear that your pediatrician said that. I have noticed that my DS has more sick days now that he's in HS than he did in middle school. Could it also be related to the fact that they run themselves ragged? They stay up late, get up early and eat more junk food.

Mily