American Medical Association Boy's Guide to Becoming a Teen

By American Medical Association and Kate Gruenwald Pfeifer

Becoming a teen is an important milestone in every boy’s life. It’s even more important to get answers and advice to the most common health issues boys face from a trusted source. The American Medical Association Boy’s Guide to Becoming a Teen is filled with invaluable advice to get you ready for the changes you will experience during puberty. Learn about these important topics and more:

• Puberty and what kinds of physical and emotional changes you can expect—from your developing body to your feelings about girls
• The importance of eating the right foods and taking care of your body
• Pimples, acne, and how to properly care for your skin
• Your reproductive system—inside and out
• Thinking about relationships and dealing with new feelings

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wiley
• Release date: Dec 8, 2010
• ISBN: 9781118040997

Book preview

001

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Foreword

CHAPTER ONE - Welcome to Puberty

What is puberty?

What is adolescence?

How long does puberty last?

How should I feel about puberty?

Why will my feelings change during puberty?

Why do I care more about what I look like? I never used to think about it.

What is happening to my voice lately? One minute it sounds squeaky and the next ...

CHAPTER TWO - Eating, Exercise, and a Healthy Weight

Why do I need to pay attention to what I eat?

How often do I need to eat?

How can I eat well at school?

What if I want to try out a different diet, like vegetarian?

How do I avoid sports injuries?

My parents keep bugging me about how much time I spend playing video games. ...

What changes can I expect to see in my body?

Is it okay for kids my age to lift weights?

How do I get the body I want?

What am I supposed to weigh?

What do I do if I think I’m overweight?

What do I do if I think I’m underweight?

What if I’m unhappy with my body?

What are anabolic steroids?

CHAPTER THREE - Your Height

When will I start to get taller?

How much will I grow?

When will I stop growing?

Why are so many girls taller than boys in middle school?

Why do my feet seem so big lately?

What if I’m really unhappy with my height?

I’ve heard that there is some kind of medicine you can take to get taller. Is ...

I heard on the news that it’s important to build strong bones when you’re a ...

Why does my doctor test me for scoliosis? What is scoliosis, anyway?

CHAPTER FOUR - Your Skin, Teeth, and Hair

Why do I have pimples all of a sudden?

Can stress affect my skin?

What are blackheads and whiteheads?

What is acne?

How do I get rid of my pimples?

What else do I need to do to take care of my skin?

My parents are always telling me not to spend so much time in the sun and they ...

What is jock itch?

Lately, my feet sometimes smell. What can I do?

Are piercings and tattoos safe?

Why do I have to brush and floss my teeth every day?

When will I start to grow underarm hair?

Does having hair under my arms have anything to do with using deodorant?

What is pubic hair?

When will I start to grow pubic hair?

When will I start to grow facial hair?

Where will I first notice facial hair?

How do I shave?

How do you shave with a disposable razor?

How do you shave with an electric razor?

What should I do if I develop a skin problem from shaving?

When will I start to grow chest hair?

CHAPTER FIVE - Your Reproductive System—Inside and Out

What are the testicles and the scrotum, actually?

What is the penis made of?

What reproductive organs are inside my body, and what do they do?

Why does my penis get hard sometimes?

My penis curves to one side. Is this normal?

How will my genitals change as I get older?

I worry that my penis is too small. How do I know if I’m normal?

What’s the difference between a circumcised penis and an uncircumcised one?

What should I know if I’m not circumcised?

How should I take care of an uncircumcised penis?

Why do I need to worry about cancer in a testicle? I’m only a teenager.

I have some light-colored bumps around the head of my penis. Is something wrong?

I felt something soft and bumpy in my scrotum. What could it be?

My doctor says I have undescended testicles. What does that mean?

I have lumps under my nipples and they sometimes feel sore. What’s happening? ...

CHAPTER SIX - Erections, Wet Dreams, and Masturbation

Why do I get erections?

What do I do when I get an erection in an embarrassing situation, like in class?

What is ejaculation?

When will I ejaculate for the first time?

Sometimes I wake up with sticky pajamas. What happened?

I hear some kids talking about blue balls. What’s that?

What is masturbation?

Can masturbating do anything bad to me? Is it possible to masturbate too much?

CHAPTER SEVEN - Your Feelings

Why do my feelings seem to be changing so much lately?

I sometimes feel bad about myself. Why?

What can I do to feel better about myself?

It sometimes seems that my parents don’t understand me anymore. Why?

What should I do when I’m feeling angry?

I wish I felt more comfortable around people. What can I do about being shy?

Lately I’ve been feeling stressed out. What can I do about it?

Sometimes I feel really unhappy. Should I be worried?

My grandfather recently died and I’m confused about what I’m feeling.

I recently found out that my parents are separating. What can I do?

I feel weird talking about my feelings.

CHAPTER EIGHT - Relationships

What makes a good friend?

How do I make new friends?

How do I keep a good friend?

What should I do when I’m arguing with a friend?

What do I do if an argument is about to turn physical?

What happens if my good friend and I are growing apart?

We’re in middle school, but one of my friends acts like he’s still in ...

What is a clique?

I keep hearing about peer pressure. What is it?

Some of my friends have started shoplifting. They keep asking me to do it with ...

What should I do if my friends are trying to get me to try using drugs, ...

What if I’m thinking about trying drinking or smoking, like some of my friends?

What is bullying?

What do I do if I am being bullied?

What do I do if a friend is being bullied?

Is it possible that I am a bully?

CHAPTER NINE - What About Sex?

Why does it seem that boys and girls suddenly don’t have as much in common as ...

Why does it sometimes feel uncomfortable to be around girls now?

What, exactly, is a crush?

What do I do if I have a crush on a girl?

What do I do if a girl has a crush on me?

What if I have a crush on another boy?

When are teenagers ready to date?

How can I talk to my parents about dating?

How will I know when I’m ready to kiss someone?

Why is it better to wait until I’m older to think about being more sexual with someone?

What is sex?

What should I do if my friends are pressuring me into having sex?

What are STDs? How do people get them?

I still have a lot of questions about relationships. What should I do?

NOTE FROM THE AMA

FIND OUT MORE!

GLOSSARY

INDEX

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This book is printed on acid-free paper. 002

Copyright © 2006 by The American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

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The recommendations and information in this book are appropriate in most cases and current as of the date of publication. For more specific information about a medical condition, the AMA suggests that you consult a physician.

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