I have had diabetes my entire life, and I am very thankful for the fact that modern medical discoveries have helped me live a happy, healthy life despite my disease. I have had to watch what I eat and take medications daily for most of my life, and while i used to feel like I was "missing out" when other children were able to eat sugary candy and I wasn't, I eventually learned that sugar-free candy tastes great. I am always keeping up on the latest diabetes research, and while researching, I have also learned about many other diseases and ailments and how they are treated and controlled. I know others are too busy to browse a bunch of medical websites, like I like to do, so I decided to start a blog that others can visit that contains information on a variety of medical topics all in one place!
Modern Medicine Saves Lives Every Day
Is Your Teen Skipping School? Here's Why A Doctor Visit Is Important
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It can be a shock when a teacher or administrator from your teenager's school contacts you to say that your teen's attendance has been lacking — especially if your teen has indicated that he or she is always present in class. While discipline from the school may be forthcoming, and you may seek to provide your own disciplinary measures, you should also keep in mind that there may be a potentially concerning reason for your teen's truancy. If you're having trouble getting to the bottom of the issue, scheduling him or her to see the family doctor may reveal what is going on. Here are some issues that could cause your teen to skip school.
Bullying
Bullying is a common reason that many teenagers avoid going to school. Bullies can make a teen's school life so miserable that he or she might fail to show up. It can be embarrassing to consult your parents about a problem when you're a teen, so you may have no idea that bullying is taking place. The effects of bullying can be long-standing. A teen can suffer from lower self-esteem throughout life because of teenage bullying, and some teens even consider or commit suicide because of how miserable they feel. Your teen may not divulge his or her bullying to you, but may do so to the family doctor.
Drug Use
Teenagers who are experimenting with drugs may also fail to attend classes. Whether they're using drugs on school property or have completely left the school to spend the day at a friend's house, this is definitely concerning behavior. Often, signs of a teenager's drug use are evident to his or her parents. However, if you can't notice such signs — and even if you haven't given thought to the idea that your teen might be using drugs — this is an issue that a family doctor can often identify.
Pregnancy
Another reason that teenage girls might miss class is due to pregnancy. A teen who is sexually active and has just found out that she is pregnant will often be distraught and may not feel emotionally prepared to handle class. Additionally, she could be hanging out with her boyfriend and trying to decide how to proceed, or even visiting a women's health clinic to seek guidance. This is obviously an issue that your family doctor should know about, and scheduling an appointment for your teen can be the first step in helping this news come to light.
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