• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

Teen STD Testing

September 5, 2017 by ds_65371 Leave a Comment

While the thought of your teen engaging in behavior that could result in the acquisition of an STD is likely enough to keep you up at night, it’s important to realize teens can and do get them. If you believe your teen has engaged in risky behavior, an STD test may be a wise choice. A test for sexually transmitted diseases will prompt immediate treatment and ensure she doesn’t suffer from the ill-effects of the condition in the future.

Tackling the Topic

Your teen is probably even less eager to talk to you about his sex life than you are inquiring about it. If you feel you must approach the topic of sex and sexually transmitted diseases, do so carefully. Avoid being confrontational at all costs, as your teen will likely put up a wall if he feels you’re grilling him. Instead, make it clear that you are concerned about him and merely want to ensure that he’s healthy and happy.

The Testing Process

Depending on the type of STD for which your teen is being tested, the testing process will differ slightly. Some tests require only a urine sample, while others require a blood sample or a swab from the genital areas, reports Avert.org. If your teen seems nervous about the prospect of receiving an STD test, discuss the testing process with her doctor and relay the process to your teen, so there will be no surprises on testing day.

Parental Consent

Teens who feel that they may have contracted an STD can, in many cases, receive an STD screening without parental consent. If you know your teen will be unwilling to share information about his sex life with you, but you want him to receive a screening, let him know he’s able to get a screening of this type without your involvement. While it’s certainly better for you to be involved rather than ill-informed, it is better for your child to get tested independently rather than not at all.

Forced Testing

Depending upon your child’s age, you may be able force her to receive an STD test. In most cases, you can speak to your child’s pediatrician and ask him to perform this test. As long as your child is under the age of 18, you can mandate this type of testing, because you’re responsible for his medical well-being. Mandating testing may not be the best idea, though, because it may create an adversarial relationship between you and your child.

At-Home STD Testing

Some teens shy away from receiving an STD test out of embarrassment. If your teen is avoiding a test of this type because she doesn’t want to venture to a clinic, an at-home test may prove the best option. The online resource DontThinkKnow.org offers free at-home tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea. Visit this organization’s website to complete this free test with your teen.

Teen STD Testing:

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Parenting, Tweens and Teens

About ds_65371

Erin Schreiner is a freelance writer and teacher who holds a bachelor's degree from Bowling Green State University. She has been actively freelancing since 2008. Schreiner previously worked for a London-based freelance firm. Her work appears on eHow, Trails.com and RedEnvelope. She currently teaches writing to middle school students in Ohio and works on her writing craft regularly.

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

Brooke Burke: My Slim Down Secrets

Everywhere I look, I hear about a new fitness fad, a quick … [Read More...] about Brooke Burke: My Slim Down Secrets

Must Have

ToniBox

Meet Toniebox – A Loveable Storytime Friend For Your Kids

If you are looking for something to occupy your children … [Read More...] about Meet Toniebox – A Loveable Storytime Friend For Your Kids

Did you know?

Painful Intercourse During Pregnancy

Painful Intercourse During Pregnancy

Negative Effects of Single Parent Homes

The Negative Effects of Single Parent Homes on Children

Repair Scratches in Glass Tabletops

How to Repair Scratches in Glass Tabletops

Can I Use Baking Powder to Thicken Sauce

Can I Use Baking Powder to Thicken Sauce?

how much weight should a baby gain

How Much Weight Should a Baby Gain?

fade hair color quickly

How to Fade Hair Color Quickly

Freeze Cooked & Smoked Ham

How to Freeze Cooked & Smoked Ham

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2021 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.