Talking to teenagers about having s3x is never easy for parents. Many parents are reluctant to discuss it because they believe that doing so equates to endorsing it.
However, 30% of high school students nationwide who participated in the most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) report having had s3x by the conclusion of their high school careers.
Determining whether your teen has engaged in s3xual activity can be impossible.
They probably will at some point, even if they haven’t before, and they need to know how to stay safe and healthy.
What parents should know about s3xually transmitted infections
S3xually transmitted infections, or STIs, are very common. They may be caused by bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms, and spread through all kinds of s3x.
While most STIs are treatable, they can affect fertility in both women and men, can cause health problems for a baby during pregnancy, and can sometimes lead to lifelong infection or serious complications. That’s why teens need to know about them.
Below are the high-level facts about some of the most common infections: what causes them, what symptoms may occur, and how they are treated.
Chlamydia The number of instances of chlamydia, the most common bacterial STI, may be larger than we think because many of them are asymptomatic. If symptoms are present, they may include pain when urinating, v@ginal or penile discharge, or, in rare cases, testicular pain and swelling. Antibiotics can treat it, and a urine test or a swab from the afflicted area can be used to diagnose it. Women are more likely than men to experience infertility if treatment is not received.
Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is another STI caused by a bacteria, and it can also be asymptomatic. When symptoms occur, they are very similar to chlamydia. Gonorrhea also can cause infertility in both women and men. While it is treatable, some infections have been resistant to the usual antibiotics used, so additional testing and treatment is sometimes needed.
Syphilis
Syphilis has been on the rise. In the first stage of infection there is usually a firm, round, painless sore where the infection entered the body. The sore is generally there for three to six weeks, but as it is painless it may go unnoticed.
If syphilis still goes unnoticed it can linger in the body for years, sometimes affecting organ systems, including the brain. It is curable with antibiotics, but if found late the damage it can do may be permanent. This infection can be very serious during pregnancy.
HSV
HSV (herpes simplex virus) causes blistering sores. There is both oral herpes (mouth sores) and genital herpes. Oral herpes, caused by HSV1, is not usually caused by s3x — but it can lead to genital herpes through oral s3x. Genital herpes is more commonly caused by HSV2.
The sores of herpes can recur throughout life. There is no cure for herpes, but there are medications that can shorten or prevent outbreaks. This infection can be particularly dangerous during pregnancy, although the risks can be managed with good prenatal care.
HIV
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is more common among people who have other STIs — mostly because having STIs is a sign of risky s3xual behavior. It can be very hard to know if a person has it, because the early symptoms can feel like having the flu, and then people can move into a long period of time of having no symptoms at all.
While there is no cure for HIV, there are medications to control it, as well as medications that can prevent it.
