Female only question

[RoughCollie]

My 12 yo DD has just started her cycle. Does this mean she needs to get a yearly gyn exam? Pap smears?

She is totally against doing this and is worried about it. I really don't see the need, myself. She is perfectly healthy and not involved with boys at all, of course, being only 12.

Thanks for your help.

RC

[Sophia]

My 12 y.o. started a few months ago and it honestly never occurred to me to take her in for a gyne appt.

I think my first appt. was in college.

It'll be interesting to see what others say.

[Sue G in PA]

is much older. In fact, she probably won't even need to go until she is married and umm, you know..."active". Just my very humble, non-dr. opinion. I wouldn't traumatize her!

[nancypants]

No. Not until she's sexually active or about to become so, unless she has any sort of gyn. type problems prior to that.

I didn't have one until I was engaged (19).

Hth

[Jean in Newcastle]

I agree with all of the above. The only reason for going earlier than all of that is if she had problems with really painful periods or something out of the ordinary like that. And I wouldn't count having irregular cycles unusual at first, BTW.

[*anj*]

Another vote for waiting. I went when I was about 15, because I had really bad cramps, but it didn't help and it kind of freaked me out.
If she doesn't have any known symptoms, I'd let her wait.

[Unicorn]

is much older. In fact, she probably won't even need to go until she is married and umm, you know..."active". Just my very humble, non-dr. opinion. I wouldn't traumatize her!


I totally agree!

[gardenschooler]

I agree with everyone else. I think it would be completely traumatic, and unneccessary.

To help with the changes, you can just do the things for her that you know help (diet/exercise/sleep/vitamins). Someone recommended a certain supplement that seemed to help with girls' hormones/mood swings, but I can't remember what it was.

If anyone knows of it, please post!

[Karen sn]

I totally agree with waiting. Less is more.

[momofkhm]

He said only if she is s*xually active or is having problems. She is only 13.

[RoughCollie]

Oh good. I am so relieved to hear your answers! I wasn't going to take her, but didn't want the Bad Mommy Award if I didn't. I figured if ya'll said "take her!", that would mean it was imperative.

DD's cranky mood was out in full force last week. For the past couple of days she has been back to her normal (now) mood-swinging self. I like mood swings now because it means that sometimes she is feeling good and acting nice.

We do have a plan that I put into place a few days ago, when I read something like it here on the boards. When DD is being as mean as a snake, I send her to my room. (Not to her room, so she doesn't think of it as punishment.) Then I go up there and talk to her and make sure she has something she likes to do (read or draw). When she feels better, she can rejoin the family.

I feel like I've been dumped into hormone city. I have triplet 13 year old DS, and no one will ever convince me that males don't have mood swings too.

[cricket1178]

I agree with all the others. I do think at this age it would tramatize her. I also agree that boys (and men) have mood swings, too. They always talk about the female hormones, but I think those testosterone levels are reaking (sp) havoc, too.

[Peek a Boo]

LOL!

I remember a certain day in high school health class where the coach/teacher was sharing that "guys have mood cycles too"--everyone was snickering. Then a tall lanky guy known as the class clown stood up abruptly, said in a rather loud voice: "HMPH!! *I* have to Go to the Bathroom!" [then he reaches down and grabs his backpack] "...And I'm Taking My BAG With me!!!!" he then proceeded to sashay to the door [as much "like a girl" as possible] while we all laughed uproariously.