Boys should start a grooming routine as soon as they enter puberty; see the essential questions to be addressed in consultations
EINSTEIN AGENCY – A survey by the Brazilian Society of Urology (SBU), based on data from the Ministry of Health, shows that adolescent girls (from 12 to 19 years old) who go to the doctor, in general, are 2.5 times larger higher than that of children of the same age: 10,096,778 visits were recorded for them in 2020 compared to 4,066,710 for them. Comparing girls who go to the gynecologist with boys who go to the urologist, the discrepancy is even greater: they go 18 times more to the specialist of them.
According to the organisation, American studies also indicate that only 4% of adolescent boys spontaneously turn to a urologist for a routine visit, compared to 60% of girls of the same age.
In this context, for six years the SBU has been carrying out the “#VemProUro” campaign in the month of September, the day on which Adolescent Day is celebrated on the 21st, with the aim of encouraging adolescents to start the consultation routine regular medical care as soon as they enter puberty, just as girls normally do.
“We realized, with these Brazilian data, that we are faced with the same problem as Americans. We have much less frequent visits to the doctor by male adolescents in general and even less when it comes to the urologist, which reinforces the lack of attention on the part of men for their health”, said Daniel Suslik Zylbersztejn, urologist at the Israelita Albert Einstein Hospital, medical coordinator of Fleury Fertility and creator of the campaign at the Brazilian Society of Urology.
For Zylbersztejn, from the moment a young person forms a bond with their doctor, it has a huge impact on their understanding of their health. “The mother usually takes the girl to the gynecologist right after the first menstrual period. This gynecologist ends up creating a bond with this teenager, as this doctor talks about sexuality, dating, intimate health and topics that the parents are not so connected to and The bond is usually so great that this doctor is the same one who will take care of his birth,” he explains. “Why not do the same thing with the kids?”
At what age should the boy start?
There is no defined age for the start of the medical routine, since every boy enters puberty at different times: there are those who enter earlier, around 12 years old, and there are still those who reach puberty at 15 years old.
“The ideal time is when there has already been a stretch, testosterone is already present throughout the body and parents begin to notice physical changes in the body, voice, hair, penis size and testicles,” he explained the doctor.
“There is also a psychological change. When a boy enters adolescence, he withdraws, begins to frequent groups more, identifies with specific groups. When this change occurs, it is the ideal time to take this boy to a urologist” , has explained. highlighted.
According to Zylbersztejn, during a routine visit, children must undergo a complete clinical examination, in particular an evaluation of the genitourinary tract. This includes testing the testicular sac to check the size and whether the testicles are growing with age.
Furthermore, the presence of varicocele (dilation of the testicular veins with reflux) should be investigated, which is the main cause of male infertility, often asymptomatic and treatable. It’s also important to make sure your child is up to date with vaccinations, especially those for mumps and HPV. Finally, it is important to address lifestyle habits and the possible presence of addictions during counseling.
“Generally, this boy will discover that he has varicocele only in adulthood, when he tries to become a father and fails. It is a silent disease, which appears during adolescence, and represents 40% of the causes of male infertility. But if he discovered early, it is treatable and can be resolved with surgery, avoiding infertility problems in the future. Mumps is also one of the diseases that cause male infertility. This is why it is important to check vaccinations”, explains the urologist.
Zylbersztejn also says that the evaluation of men during the physical examination is much more objective than that of girls. Only in specific cases will it be necessary to request additional tests, such as ultrasound of the abdomen, testicular sac, in addition to general blood tests, for example. “The context must be assessed to request any tests, if necessary.”
Other important points to cover in a basic consultation for adolescents include discussing the risk of early use of illicit drugs and alcohol, which increases the likelihood of developing addiction in adulthood. Furthermore, it is important to address, among other topics, the use of electronic cigarettes, which are even more toxic to the body than traditional cigarettes. “A routine consultation is essential to show adolescents that these habits are harmful to their health, both acutely and chronically.”
Questions that the young person can ask during a consultation
• Prevention of sexually transmitted infections
• Testicular cancer
• Inflammation of the head of the penis and foreskin (balanoposthitis)
• Phimosis
• Premature ejaculation
• Dilated veins in the testicles (varicocele)
• Effects of anabolic steroids
• Delayed puberty
• Penis size
• Vaccination
• Responsible parenting and prevention of unwanted pregnancies
• Guidelines regarding the beginning of sexual life
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
