>> AS A PARENT IT’S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE OUR CHILDREN KNOW HOW TO STAY HEALTHY AND TO TAKE
CARE OF THEIR BODIES.
>> IS WOMAN THAT MEANS A LITTLE
BIT OF EXTRA CARE FOR OUR
DAUGHTERS.
IT CAN BE TOUGH TO KNOW WHEN IS
THE RIGHT TIME TO MAKE THE
FIRST VISIT TO THE GYNECOLOGIST
IF YOUR LITTLE GIRL AND WHAT
THAT ENTAILS.
>> SO AN JULIE BROUGHTON WANTED
TO GET THAT ANSWER AND ASK A
DOCTOR.
>> IT CAN DEFINITELY BE A
TOUCHY SUBJECT BUT OF COURSE WE
WANT OUR KIDS TO BE COMFORTABLE
SO TO HELP US FIGURE OUT THE
BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT THIS
DOCTOR CHRISTINE GREAVES FROM
ORLANDO HEALTH JOINS US.
GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SOME NEW RECOMMENDATIONS
HAVE COME OUT AS TO WHEN A GIRL
SHOULD SEE THE GYNECOLOGIST FOR
THE FIRST TIME.
WHAT ARE THOSE?
>> THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF
GYNECOLOGY SAY PEDIATRIC OR
ADOLESCENT OR WHATEVER YOU WANT
TO SAY A WOMAN BETWEEN THE AGES
OF 13 AND 15 SEE THE
GYNECOLOGIST.
IF SHE DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO
THAT IN TALKING TO HER
PEDIATRICIAN OR ANOTHER FOR
POSITION THAT SPECIALIZES ABOUT
WHAT SHE’S TO EXPECT.
>> PART OF THE GUIDELINES
CHANGED?
>> IT IS NOW BECOMING MORE AND
MORE AWARE.
BUT NOT NECESSARILY SAY THEY
CHANGE BUT IS BECOMING MORE AND
MORE PREVALENT THAT WE NEED TO
ADDRESS CERTAIN THINGS AND WE
NEED TO ADDRESS MENZIES AND
CONTRACEPTION AND WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THAT WOMAN GET THE
HPV VACCINE AND DISCUSS ANY
CONCERNS LIKE PELVIC PAIN AND
INFECTIONS THAT COULD ARISE.
>> AS A PARENT HOW DO YOU GO
ABOUT PREPPING YOUR DAUGHTER
FOR THIS VISIT AND TELLING HER
WHAT SHE CAN EXPECT?
>> SO I WOULD JUST BASICALLY
SAY THAT YOU ARE 13 TO 15 YEARS
OLD AND IT’S RECOMMENDED THAT
YOU ESTABLISH CARE WITH SOMEONE
WHO KNOWS ABOUT WOMEN’S HEALTH.
SO AS YOU ARE ENTERING THAT
PHASE IT IS GOOD TO HAVE
SOMEONE THAT YOU CAN TALK TO
AND TRUST AND DEVELOP A
RELATIONSHIP WITH SO SHOULD A
SITUATION ARISE LIKE PELVIC
PAIN OR PERIOD ETC. OR SHOULD
YOU WANT TO START BIRTH CONTROL
THAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE
SPEAKING WITH SOMEONE ABOUT
THAT.
>> AND SO THE FIRST VISIT DAY
ROLLS AROUND.
WHAT CAN DAUGHTERS EXPECT WHEN
THEY GO INTO THIS?
>> IT DEPENDS ON THE CONCERN
SERVICE JUST TO ESTABLISH CARE
AND MERELY A CONVERSATION.
AND ALSO EDUCATION.
I WOULD EXPECT A LOT OF
QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED.
AS WELL ABOUT HER HEALTH.
FAMILY HISTORY INCLUDED.
IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC CONCERNS
LIKE IF SHE WANTS TO CONSIDER
GOING ON BIRTH CONTROL OR IF
SHE IS SEXUALLY ACTIVE OR IF
THERE’S ANY CONCERNS BEEN
TALKING ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
AND JUST EDUCATING WHAT TO
EXPECT AND WHAT’S NORMAL AND
WHAT IS THAT. BECAUSE THIS IS A
TIME WHEN PEOPLE GO THROUGH A
LOT OF CHANGES IN HER BODY AND
ALSO FINDING OUT WHEN DID SHE
START HER PERIOD.
>> SO WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE COME IN
FOR THIS APPOINTMENT THERE IS
NOT NECESSARILY A PELVIC EXAM
OR PAP SMEAR RIGHT?
>> CORRECT AND CERTAINLY NOT A
PAP SMEAR.
PAP SMEAR NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL
THE AGE OF 21.
SOME PEOPLE CONFUSE A PAP SMEAR
WITH A SPECULUM EXAM.
A PAP SMEAR IS SIMPLY SAMPLING
THE CERVIX.
IN SAMPLING THOSE CELLS AND
LOOKING AT THEM.
THE SPECULUM EXAM IS A LITTLE
DIFFERENT AND CERTAIN THINGS
MAY WARRANT LIKE A SPECULUM
EXAM IS WHERE WE PLAY SOMETHING
INSIDE IN ORDER TO LOOK AT THE
PARTS LIKE THE CERVIX ETC.
>> SO HOW DO YOU FIND THE
APPROPRIATE DOCTOR FOR YOUR
DAUGHTER?
SHOULD YOU TAKE HER TO YOUR
OWNER HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT THAT?
>> IT DEPENDS.
IT DEPENDS WHO YOU FEEL
COMFORTABLE WITH.
YOU COULD TALK TO YOUR OWN
DOCTOR ABOUT THAT AND SEE IF
THERE COMFORTABLE SEEING
SOMEONE.
FIND OUT IF THERE’S A PEDIATRIC
GYNECOLOGIST IN YOUR AREA AND
IF THERE IS YOU COULD CONSIDER
THAT.
SOME GYNECOLOGIST ARE
COMFORTABLE AND LOVE TALKING TO
WOMEN AND SO YOU COULD DO THAT.
AND IF YOU DON’T FEEL
COMFORTABLE ASKING OTHER PEOPLE
AROUND YOU CAN DO RESEARCH
ONLINE AND FIND OUT.
>> BUT IMPORTANT TO GET THE
DOOR TO CARE OPEN EARLY.