It is well known that one in five females has PCOS, so the chance that your daughter might be suffering from pcos is rather high! PCOS is a chronic disease which means It’s there to stay. It won’t go away!
it is very important for you as a mom to understand the “ins” and “outs” of PCOS in order to be able to support your daughter.
Watch out for signs of Pcos.
the commonest sign of PCOS is having an irregular period, it’s not OK for young girls to have irregular periods, if she’s had her period for two years and it still is irregular, it’s time to go see a doctor. thus keeping a diary of your daughter’s period is very important. Another sign your daughter might be suffering from PCOS is excessive hair growth in abnormal areas like face, chin, tummy, back, upper part of the thighs. Some girls might suffer from excessive weight gain, or difficulty losing weight. Don’t blame it on junk food, go check with the doctor.
If you suspect that your daughter might have PCOS please try to get as much information about PCOS as possible before going to the doctors. This way you can prepare your daughter as to what to expect. You can always call your doctor for advice.
Time to see the doctor
When visiting the doctor please allow your daughter to talk and tell her story in her own words. Don’t try to belittle any of her symptoms. Don’t volunteer any information she’s uncomfortable to share even if you think it’s important, you can always call the doctor later and share the missing piece. Don’t push her into getting her lab tests done, or take medications prescribed by her doctor.
Let her make her own decisions at her own pace. Make sure she is comfortable with the doctor she’s seeing. Ask her afterwards if she wants to continue seeing her/him.
It’s also important to remember that PCOS diagnosis in teenage girls is different from older ones. Make sure the doctor you go to is familiar with managing PCOS in adolescent patients.
The diagnosis
When first informed of the diagnosis, mothers tend “understandably” to bombard the doctor with questions, while the poor child is oblivious to what is going on. Try to remember it’s about her and not you! Allow her to ask as many questions as she wants in any form she likes.
Don’t
Because of their weight problems PCOS patients often have negative body image and suffer from depression, especially young patients. Though the key to managing PCOS and its related problems is a healthy life style It is very important to refrain from making comments on how she looks, or dishing out advice on the importance of healthy diet. After all teenagers have every right to indulge in junk food every now and then, it’s also ok to eat chocolate.
Sharing her condition with other family members is not a good idea! Avoid comparing notes with your mom, sisters, best friend regarding her condition. Some girls feel embarrassed to even have their father aware of the issue.
My advice.
I always advise mothers to see the dietitian alone or with their daughter. However if your daughter prefers to see her dietitian alone, it’s ok! Much as you like to be there for her it’s very important to remember that at this young tender age teenagers tend to be very self-conscious.
In my experience teenagers do better if they are comfortable with their doctor. Being able to share in making decisions related to the management of their case does wonders to their compliance and commitment to the management plan.
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