How can teenagers prevent sexually transmitted illnesses (STI/ STD)? If you are a parent, have you had that conversation with your teen yet?
Read on to find out more.
Let me share with you an experience with a teenage patient of mine ( RJ- name altered for privacy) many years back. When I first met him, RJ, a very pleasant young man, had come with his mother for his 12 year old well child exam (annual exam). We missed seeing each other over the next entire year. The next time I saw him, he was 14 years old and was brought by his mother again, for symptoms worrisome for a sexually transmitted illness.
Typically, in all my well child exams for patients from about 13 years of age, I try to include guidance on preventing STIs and substance abuse/ physical abuse. We also briefly visit the direction of his/ her social development that may be tied to health (education/ career planning) based on the age.
It’s far too common for teenagers in the Western world to become sexually active by around 15-16 years of age – sometimes sooner, sometimes later.
I have been wanting to let this information out into the universe for quite a while now. Yesterday my teenage step-son texted me regarding a personal landmark.
I hadn’t heard from him in quite a while now. So it made me think was that a sign from the universe that I should post this for the teens out there? Well, if it is, then I am not going to wait on it anymore. So here we go…..
What is an STI/ STD?
STI stands for sexually transmitted illness.
STD stands for sexually transmitted disease.
As the names imply, these are diseases that can be spread by sexual activity from an infected person to someone else.
Can I get STD’s if I am not sexually active?
Yes, apart from sexual route, the following may spread an STI/ STD:
- sharing contaminated needles (as in drug abuse)
- contaminated tattoo needles (the down side of tattoes)
- contaminated blood or blood products
- unsterilised/ contaminated surgical equipment
- birth of a baby (potential transmission from mother to baby)
- even saliva: especially herpes simplex/ cold sore (yes it can be called an STD) and rarely hepatitis C
Here’s my question to you: what are some of the STI’s / STD’s if you could name some ?
You have already aced it if you said AIDS/ HIV.
Yes, that is the most important and most dangerous of all STI/ STDs out there, but there are others too, which can lead to long term adverse health effects.
Basically I like to think of them as two groups:
- The ones that begin with H (all are viruses):
- HIV
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- Herpes simplex/ cold sore virus
- HPV/ human papilloma virus: causes genital warts (yep ugly skin lesions) and cervical cancer
2. Others:
- Syphilis: if untreated, over many years can cause heart murmurs or aortic aneurysm (ballooning of the blood vessel wall —> rupture would be life-threatening), arthritis and even neurosyphilis when it affects the brain (dementia etc.)
- Gonorrhea: if untreated causes pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), arthritis, infertility etc.
- Chlamydia: can cause PID, urinary bladder inflammation and even conjunctivitis/ pink eye etc.
- Trichomonas
- Others
Why do I need to know this?
- All the non-viral infections can be cured completely with antibiotics or anti-parasitic agents
- All the viral infections unfortunately tend to make a friend for life. This means treatment can only reduce the quantity of virus in the body but not completely get rid of it (please see below for complications if not treated)
- Being infected with one type of STI/ STD means there is a chance any other STI/ STD could have also spread along with it. Yes co-infection i.e. infection with more than one STI/ STD at the same time is rather common (eg: gonorrhea and chlamydia, HIV and syphilis etc.)
What if I don’t treat it?
With HIV/ AIDS, it can reduce the body’s immunity, making way for other infections to set in which can ultimately take the person’s life.
Hepatitis B and C can cause liver disease, liver failure and even liver cancer.
Please see above for the complications from non-viral STI/ STDs.
Can someone have an STI/ STD and not know it?
Yes, it is possible. Sometimes the infecting agent can lie dormant in the body without any symptoms or occasionally cause an outbreak (eg: cold sore).
So it is advisable to get tested for STI/ STD along with your annual exam (yes insurances do cover it though copays differ), especially if you suspect you or your partner to have any symptoms.
How can STD/ STI be prevented?
- Technically having more than one sexual partner can increase the chances of STI/ STD transmission, so ideally the less the number of sexual partners, the better the chances of staying safe
- Monogamy i.e. being active with only one partner would also help along the same lines
- Avoid risk of skin puncture or mucus membrane (membranous lining of body orifices like mouth, eyes etc.) exposure with contaminated items: esp blood/ blood products, injection/ tattoo needles, unsterilised surgical instruments
- Avoid being exposed to the saliva of anyone whose STI status is unknown (includes drinking from the same glass or using the same utensils without cleaning it first): esp true regarding herpes simplex transmission
- Delaying the onset of sexual activity till the participant’s age/ mental development would help make mature informed decisions to ensure his/ her safety
How do I make sure it is safe to be sexually active with my partner to prevent STI/ STD?
By making sure the prospective partner does not have any red flags, so prior to being sexually active, we may need to find out from them if there have been any:
- multiple sexual partners in the past esp polygamous relationship
- history of STI/ STD in themselves or partners
- any skin rashes or sore in the genital area
- any genital (penile or vaginal) discharge
- urinary symptoms (burning with urination, cloudy urine or frequent urination)
- it is ok and even advisable to request an STI/ STD screen to make sure there is no risk before becoming sexually active with him/ her
- getting screened yourself for STI/ STD.
And remember to always reach out to your (if you are a teenager) or your child’s (if you are a parent) doctor with any concerns.
For more information, please visit the CDC website.
Parenting a teen has its own path filled with rewards and opportunities for growth. So if you are one of those blessed souls assigned with the precious responsibility of parenting a teenager (biological or otherwise), my heart goes out to you, you are in this world for a reason! And you are doing an awesome job mom/ dad – the world needs more folks like you!!
If you are a teenager reading this, I hope you would know that we’re so excited you’re here! Whether you know it or not, you make the world a better place just by being you! Your life is someone’s dream come true (it may even be your great grandmother who wished and prayed for you and you graciously accepted it) and someone’s prayers are being answered through you! So keep being who you are and making the world a better place!
Praying for much love and light your way!!
See you on another post 🙂
