preteens

Writer and health educator Marni Sommer is co-author of A Girl's Guide to Puberty & Periods, which aims to help young people ages 9 to 14 understand the changes that happen in puberty and what to expect when.

Opinion: With abortion bans on the rise, kids need to know more about menstruation

11:50am September 17, 2022

by Marni Sommer

Today, even one missed period could have serious implications for a young person's life. But how late is late, and when is pain or a heavy period a medical concern? Many preteens don't know.

In a study of nearly 5,600 U.S. youths ages 12 to 17, about 6 percent say they've engaged in some sort of digital self-harm. More than half in that subgroup say they've bullied themselves this way more than once.

When Teens Cyberbully Themselves

1:03pm April 21, 2018

by Juli Fraga

In this latest form of self-harming behavior, adolescents anonymously post mean or derogatory comments about themselves on social media as a way of managing feelings of sadness or self-loathing.

A growing number of pediatric sports medicine groups warn that when a child focuses on a single sport before age 15 or 16, they increase their risk of injury and burnout — and don't boost their overall success in that sport.

Student Athletes Who Specialize Early Are Injured More Often, Study Finds

6:38pm July 25, 2017

by Allison Aubrey

High school athletes who tended to focus on one sport were 50 percent more likely to get hurt than those who hadn't specialized. Injuries included ankle sprains, knee tendonitis, and stress fractures.

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A child takes a facial recognition test in which he is asked to match the face on the top to one of the faces on the bottom.

Brain Area That Recognizes Faces Gets Busier And Better In Young Adults

6:38pm January 05, 2017

by Jon Hamilton

From birth through age 30 or so, our ability to recognize faces keeps improving, research shows. At first, kids discern adult faces better than other kids' mugs. Not so after adolescence.

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In a video posted to YouTube last year by the women's health company HelloFlo, a preteen girl fakes her period and faces unexpected, and embarrassing, repercussions from her mother.

Brands Target Tween Girls In Bid To Keep Them As Longtime Customers

9:06am April 10, 2015

by Ilya Marritz

Brands increasingly see tweens as a distinct consumer group. From menstruation products to underwear, advertisers are targeting young girls in an informal tone to gain loyal customers earlier on.

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