Adolescent years are always difficult for both parents and their children alike. All the several changes that take place during puberty are a matter of great concern for most parents and quite a shocking and surprising affair for all adolescents who undergo various emotional, psychological and physical changes during this period. During their children’s puberty, parents and mothers in particular, have an important role to play. Mothers have to deal with their daughter’s stress, irritability, anxiousness and many other issues.
There are a gamut of issues with regard to menstruation, from physiological causes/effects to cultural taboos and traditions, the role of social history and other related ethical concerns. I am addressing here, the problems a girl faces during her menstruation. Disorders related to menstruation are among the most common problems encountered in women’s’ health and include early, delayed and irregular
menstrual cycles, early menopause, painful menses and excessive menstrual bleeding. Their treatment presents a variety of complex challenges, especially since some of the treatments used can themselves result in further menstrual and hormonal complications. For a girl, getting her periods for the first time is a physical milestone and marks the beginning of her ‘becoming a woman’. They often tend to experience certain symptoms before their periods or during their periods. These are called ‘Premenstrual Symptoms’. Some of the common physical and emotional symptoms that many females display before their periods are as follows:
1.Acne
2. Bloating
3. Fatigue
4. Backaches
5. Sore breasts
6. Food cravings
7. Feeling under the weather
8. Irritability
9. Feeling tense or anxious
Although these symptoms are not harmful per se, they can cause certain problems if not taken care of for a long time. If a girl is getting depressed or irritated, then her family needs to be able to understand her. They need to talk to her about periods and its symptoms. They need to tell her that it is a monthly occurrence and make her understand that it is part of the process of turning into a beautiful woman from a small little girl.
Cramps and delayed menarche are other problems which are experienced during periods. Abdominal cramps are normal during the first few days but if it continues for more than three days, then you may need to consult a doctor. Delayed enarche is not something to get very worried about. If your daughter is a ‘Late Bloomer,’ it does not necessarily mean that there is something wrong with her. It
depends a lot on genetics for instance. Girls often start menstruating at approximately the same age
their mothers or grandmothers did. If she does not get her periods till the age of fifteen, then it would be advisable to visit a doctor.
There are certain other problems related to menstruation which are as follows:
1. Amenorrhea (The absence of periods): It can be caused due to a genetic abnormality, a hormonal imbalance or a problem with the way the reproductive organs have developed. Other causes can be stress, significant weight gain or loss, thyroid conditions or ovarian cysts.
2. Menorrhagia (Extremely heavy, prolonged periods): It is normal for periods to be heavier on some days than on others but signs of Menorrhagia can include soaking through at least one sanitary napkin an hour for several hours in a row or periods that last for longer than seven days. It can be caused by polyps in the uterus, thyroid conditions, clotting disorders, inflammation or infection in the vagina or cervix.
3.Dysmenorrhea (Painful periods): Having cramps for a day or two each month is common, but if your daughter has symptoms severe enough to prevent her from going about her normal activities or has cramps that last for more than three days, then you need to check with your doctor.
To summarize, if your daughter displays the following symptoms, it is advisable to consult a doctor:
1. If she has not started her period by the time she is fifteen or if her periods have not become regular after three years of menstruating.
2. If she stops getting her periods or if it becomes irregular after it has been consistently regular prior to it.
3. If she has heavy or long periods for around seven or eight days or if she gets her periods very frequently – every fifteen days for instance.
4. If she has very painful periods. Having an abdominal cramp for the first one and half days is quite normal but if it continues for more than two days and keeps your daughter away from her day-to-day work, then it is reason enough to be concerned.
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