Resources: Teen Health

General

TeenHealthFX
http://www.teenhealthfx.com/
TeenHealthFX.com is your online resource for any and all questions regarding your health, your relationships, your body and your sexuality. The site is crazy informative! There is also a section of the site maintained entirely by a Teen Advisory Committee. The site is funded and maintained by the Atlantic Health System out of New Jersey.

MedLine Plus
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/teenhealth.html
Medline Plus is a searchable database provided by the National Institutes of Health. While not a super flashy site, there is information on just about any disease or condition you can think of. The site is updated regularly and is a great resource if you're looking for information about a particular problem.

It's My Life
http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/friends/
It's My Life deals with (you guessed it!) life and the stuff that we deal with every day. You can read informative articles, share your stories, play games, take quizzes and polls, watch video clips of other kids talking about their feelings and experiences, get advice from older kids and experts, and contribute your own comments and questions.

BrainPop: Health
http://www.brainpop.com/health/
Tons—literally!—of cool animated movies about your body and your health. Everything you need to know about your organs, changes in your body, diseases that might affect you, and taking good care of yourself. And the animation is really neat, too.

Cool Nurse
http://www.coolnurse.com/
Cool Nurse is the place to go for a wide range of information: exercise and relaxation ideas, tattoos and piercing, first aid, male hair loss, anger management, and everything in between. The sexual FAQ is particularly complete and offers advice and information on topics ranging from talking to parents and medical professionals to masturbation and fetishes.

Teen Growth
http://www.teengrowth.com/
Estimate your final adult height, get answers to questions about penis development and menstrual cycles, and talk with other teens about school, emotions, acne, fast food, sports, and getting enough sleep.

Discovery Health: Teen Center
http://health.discovery.com/centers/teen/teen.html
This site from the Discovery Channel provides tips and information for teens regarding their health. Articles cover topics such as puberty, relationships, and mental health; in addition, there is a message board where users can post questions and see what others are discussing. (Registration to post messages is free.)

TeensHealth
http://kidshealth.org/teen/
Created for teens looking for honest, accurate information and advice about health, relationships, and growing up. They provide straight-forward information that is easy to navigate, including topics such as food/fitness, sexual health, diseases/conditions, and infections. The site is maintained by the Nemours Foundation.

Anatomy

Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body
http://www.bartleby.com/107/
Features 1,247 engravings from the classic 1918 publication, as well as a subject index with 13,000 entries. Users may search, browse through the table of contents, or browse through an alphabetical list of topics.

Especially for Girls

4 Girls Health
http://www.4girls.gov/
Launched by the Office on Women's Health, this site motivates girls to choose healthy behaviors. It provides information about puberty, nutrition, exercise, substance abuse, and relational issues. A link is provided to a site especially for girls with disabilities and chronic illness: http://www.4girls.gov/disability/.

iEmily
http://www.iemily.com/
iEmily is a health and wellness site just for girls. Learn about sex and your body, explore alternative exercise like yoga and tai chi, find out about healthy eating choices and chat about it all with other girls. Special features include games like The Feng Shui Way, and videos like Yoga 101.

Especially for Guys

Cool Nurse - Male Health Forum
http://www.coolnurse.com/male_health.htm
This section of the Cool Nurse website is dedicated just to guys. There are videos and articles related to guy's health and development, including substance abuse, physical development, steroid use, and lots of other topics relating only to guys.

Mental Health Issues

Suite 101 - Mental Health for Teens Page
http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/child_mental_illness
This site has articles about all sorts of mental health issues, such as stress relief, medications and side effects, mood swings and true stories from teens who have experienced a variety of situations dealing with their mental health.

Mindyourmind.ca
http://www.mindyourmind.ca/
An innovative internet resource for youth who are looking for credible, up-to-date information on mental health and creative stress management. Information is posted about getting help for yourself or for your friends, along with checklists to figure out what kind of help is needed. They have a very cool and interactive website with tons of info!

Teenline Online
http://www.teenlineonline.org/
Teenline is a place to go when you need help, support or advice. This site features the Teenline 800 number where you can reach other teens and get support for issues like family life, sexuality, addictions, abuse, self-destructive and life threatening behaviors. The site also features a message board for online support.

Youth Suicide Prevention Education Program
http://www.yspp.org/
This site was put together by a mother whose teen son committed suicide. It provides numerous facts about suicide and resources such as a suicide risk questionnaire and suggestions for coping with the suicide of a loved one.

Nutrition, Body Image & Eating Disorders

National Eating Disorders Association
http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/
Find information about body image and eating disorders; referrals to doctors, therapists and support groups; educational curriculum, books and videos; and ways to help by volunteering and advocating.

Something Fishy
http://www.something-fishy.org/
Something Fishy is a 'pro recovery' website devoted to the idea that eating disorders are not about food and weight, they are symptoms of deeper issues. It provides chats with other readers and motivational chats with professionals, a treatment finder, exploration of cultural issues that may affect eating disorders, and stories from those affected by a loved one's eating disorder—as well as the more traditional resources for those suffering from eating disorders. The site is available in both Spanish and French.

Sexuality & Sexually Transmitted Diseases

TeenWire
http://www.teenwire.com/
This site has sexuality and relationship info from Planned Parenthood Federation of America and has tons of useful information for teens and their parents. In addition to interactive links, hot topic headlines, and information about teens and sex, the site has movies, games, and trivia!

I Wanna Know
http://www.iwannaknow.org/
This site, sponsored by the American Social Health Association, provides answers to questions about sex and sexually transmitted diseases. Special features include sex ed games, a detailed glossary, and live chat "Ask the Expert".

Out Youth
http://www.outyouth.org/index.html
Out Youth is a non-profit organization providing services to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth ages 12 - 19 in Austin and central Texas. They offer peer support groups, counseling, educational programs, social activities and community outreach. Check out the website to find out about local special events and programs, resources, and a scrapbook of OY events.

Scarleteen
http://www.scarleteen.com/
This comprehensive site's mission is to provide nonjudgmental information on teen sexuality for teens who are sexually active as well as those who choose abstinence. It is absolutely packed with information, featuring sections on self-image, sexuality, reproduction and dating. There are also sections that are specifically geared toward guys and girls and their unique issues as well as a section for gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgendered teens.

Teen AIDS
http://www.teenaids.org/
Information about what AIDS is and how to avoid it, stories and advice for teens by teens, and Q&A sections make this an important site. Find out about the Teen AIDS Peer Corps, an organization that supports open conversation among teens about HIV/AIDS. The Foreign AIDS pages provide information in Spanish, French, Vietnamese, Chinese, and other languages.

Teenwire
http://www.teenwire.com/
Advice, definitions, chat, games and quizzes—and more!—are available at this Planned Parenthood-sponsored site. Frank and comprehensive information about all aspects of sexuality, including gay, lesbian and bisexual issues; teen pregnancy and STDs; and a literal warehouse of body, sex and romance Q and As are presented in a clear and attractive format. Winner of the 2002 Webby award for Best Health Site, Teenwire is also available en español. Free, private registration is required to access much of the site.

Teens Health
http://kidshealth.org/teen/
Get answers and advice about food and fitness, sexual health, relationships, safety, and drugs and alcohol. This site features articles about diversity and tolerance, fears and phobias, drugs, and orthodontia—and enables users to link to additional articles about the same topic. This site is also available en español.

Skin Care & Makeup

Makeup 411
http://www.makeup411.com/
Find out about new products, watch how-to clips on applying different types of makeup, get expert advice from makeup artists, and find out what your favorite celebrities are wearing.

Substance Use & Abuse

National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens
http://teens.drugabuse.gov/
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a component of the National Institutes of Heath (NIH), created this Web site to educate teens on the science behind drug abuse. The site delivers science-based facts about how drugs affect the brain and body so that kids will be armed with better information to make healthy decisions. Learn important information on the site through animated illustrations, quizzes, and games!

Anabolic Steroid Abuse
http://www.steroidabuse.org/
Find out about illegal steroid use among teens, the different risks associated with steroid use for both men and women, and connect to research about steroid use and abuse.

Club Drugs
http://www.clubdrugs.org/
This site provides information about drugs commonly found at raves, trances, clubs and bars. Learn about how these drugs affect behavior and the brain, and find the most current trends and statistics for club drug use.

National Institute on Drug Abuse: Information for Students
http://www.drugabuse.gov/students.html
Research information on the affects of drugs on the brain, interactive activities, and links to work on drug abuse being done by other agencies affiliated with the National Institutes of Health.

Partnership for a Drug Free America
http://checkyourself.com/
Stories and information about all kinds of substance abuse, from ecstasy to household products, plus links to the latest anti-drug commercials comprise this anti-drug site. The site also provides extensive information about the effects of all types of drugs, and offers advice about talking to friends about drugs.

checkyourself.com
http://www.checkyourself.com/
The site allows teens to reflect on their own attitudes about drugs and alcohol by answering quiz questions about their lifestyle, reading first-person stories, communicating with other teens, and playing decision games to see how they might act in situations involving drugs and alcohol. The site is funded by the Partnership for a Drug Free America.

What's Driving You?
http://www.whatsdrivingyou.org/
This site offers information about alcohol, DUI, drinking and driving, and ways to think about behaviors associated with drinking. It features an interactive role-play "virtual party", advice, articles, state laws, and links to further information.

Violence & Violence Prevention

Choose Respect
http://www.chooserespect.org/scripts/index.asp
Choose Respect is a new initiative from the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The site has information about dating abuse prevention and healthy relationships for teens and parents. There is a lot of information on this way cool website. Be sure to check out the game—you get to make your very own music video!

CDC Division of Violence Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/dvp.htm
This site from the Centers for Disease Control addresses violence as a public health issue. They provide information and resources related to youth violence, partner and sexual violence, suicide, and child maltreatment.

Safe Youth
http://www.safeyouth.org/scripts/teens.asp
Safe Youth is the website of the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center. It contains information about teen violence against others and teen suicide, identifies youth at risk, and discusses ways to intervene. The teen section is an area where readers can share stories, ask questions and find out what other teens are doing to prevent violence.

Warning Signs
http://www.apahelpcenter.org/featuredtopics/feature.php?id=38
The American Psychological Association has produced this site to promote anger management and nonviolent problem solving among teens. It addresses reasons for violence, how to deal with someone who is violent and ways to manage your own potential for violence—including violence against yourself.