Most of the most common diseases in young people are related to poor behavior and health habits.
Little kids get mean often. As they get older, they no longer get so sick, but they are not free from certain conditions either. As the mother of a son who is getting closer to adolescence, I worry about what I will face. That is why I have inquired about the most common diseases in young people.
Have I come to any interesting conclusions? That most are related to bad behavior and health habits of adolescents. During this stage, young people deal with emotional and physical changes that sometimes end up taking their toll.
THE 10 MOST COMMON DISEASES IN ADOLESCENTS
The latest report from the World Health Organization (WHO) points to a series of common diseases in young people . Which are?
Depression and anxiety
They are one of the causes of disability that most affect young people around the world. 50% of people who suffer from a mental disorder begin to show the first symptoms around the age of 14 .
traffic accident injuries
It is the leading cause of death among Spaniards between the ages of 5 and 29 and, therefore, the adolescent stage is included. The victims are divided between vehicle occupants, cyclists and pedestrians.
Anemia
Ensuring that our children eat a healthy diet serves to prevent overweight, but we must also take the necessary precautions so that they consume the recommended daily amounts of iron . Although silent, anemia is one of the most common diseases in young people.
VIH
It is estimated that there are more than two million adolescents worldwide who have AIDS. Mortality has decreased in recent years, but prevalence remains high.
Self-harm
If we take the statistics as a reference, we see that suicide is the third cause of mortality among young people between 15 and 19 years of age. As parents, it is up to us to be alert to detect possible warning signs and put the matter in the hands of professionals.
neck and back pain
Whether it’s because they have scoliosis (it mainly affects teenagers), sports injuries, a fall, poor posture, or muscle weakness caused by a sedentary lifestyle, teenagers suffer from a lot of back and neck pain. How many times do you tell your children to feel good or to empty the backpack and bring only what is necessary to do their homework?
Diarrhea
It is in the top 10 of the main diseases (and causes of mortality) registered between 10 and 19 years old.
Respiratory infections
Lower respiratory tract infections are also included among the 5 most common diseases in young people.
accidental poisoning
After traffic accidents, medication or drug overdose is the second leading cause of death among adolescents worldwide .
Violence
The attacks cause multitudes of injuries every day. Fighting and intimate partner violence are the two most numerous examples of interpersonal violence.
Cough, cold, fever, asthma and skin diseases are some of the most frequent consultations in Primary Care centers.
HOW TO PREVENT THE MOST COMMON DISEASES IN YOUNG PEOPLE
Apart from the most common diseases in young people, special emphasis must be placed on unprotected sexual relations (two consequences are teenage pregnancies and STDs), sedentary lifestyle and drug, alcohol and tobacco.
That is why it is important to promote the importance of adopting healthy habits and behaviors from the time children are young . When they start having sex, it is necessary to have a conversation with them to warn them of the risks of not using a condom.
Therefore, the main measures that parents can take to prevent diseases in adolescents are the following:
- Remind them of the need to exercise for an hour a day and organize activities to keep them active.
- Inculcate the importance of eating correctly so that when we are not at home to prepare food for them, they do not eat processed foods and industrial pastries.
- Promote oral hygiene and sleep from an early age.
- Do everything possible so that they communicate with us and tell us if they have any problems.
- Talk about sex openly, without taboos.
- Provide them with a healthy family and school environment.
- Monitor the use of mobile phones and computers.
- Put at their disposal all the necessary materials to prevent injuries (from a young age they have to know that a bike must be ridden with a helmet and that the car will not start if someone is not wearing a seat belt).
