STDs and Your Teen

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American teens are having sex at a much earlier age these days. That said, curiosity and hormones start to kick in about 13 or even earlier regarding sex.

Nature will take its course, and it’s critical for teens to know that they have a confidential and caring place to go for medical treatment and knowledge. Focus groups have shown that if required to get parental permission, youth will not get preventative care, STD treatment or timely prenatal care. They will not stop having sex. Meaning, teens/children are at risk of infections, pregnancy, and even abuse- without a safety net.

North Carolina, like every other state in the US, protects a minor’s ability to consent to certain medical services. In North Carolina, a minor, without parental consent, can see a medical professional for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of:

This means when your healthcare provider has to contact your child about anything to do with STDs, birth control, mental health or substance abuse they are required by law, to speak directly with the patient. They cannot discuss this information with the parent unless given consent directly from the child/patient.

In a perfect world, children talk to their parents about anything. Their life experience means parents can offer insight and advice on all sorts of situations. Sometimes, having an awkward conversation turns out to be a positive experience for parent and child. But, if your teen can’t or won’t talk to you about their sexual health, he or she still needs to make health a priority. That includes protection against STDs and unplanned pregnancy. The three most commonly reported STDs are chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the one of three groups most at risk of contracting these and other STDs are individuals ages 15 to 24.

Goldsboro Pediatrics’ policy aligns with North Carolina's general statutes on minor consent laws as governed by the Code of Federal Regulations and HIPAA. A pediatric patient over 12 years of age has both the right and the choice to tell us to: share information with family, close friends, or others involved in care and share information in a disaster relief situation. If the pediatric patient is not able to state preference, for example if they are unconscious, we may go ahead and share information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share health information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

Please contact any Goldsboro Pediatric office for more information. Please encourage your teenager to come to us with questions and potential conditions. We care.

While we don’t encourage sexual activity among teenagers, we also realize that there are many who have consensual sex during their high school years. If that is going to happen, we want to reiterate that it is most important for them to be smart and be safe. We encourage our patients to discuss any and all concerns with their healthcare provider.

References:
https://www.childrenshospital.org
https://www.shiftnc.org
https://kidshealth.org
https://www.kidsinthehouse.com

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