Teenager Health

There is a separate page for children's health and a page of websites aimed at children and teenagers
Links to useful Websites National contacts West Midlands health contacts Other information sources
EQUIP also has pages of information on specific medical conditions including addiction and sexual health and support for parents and families
Links to useful websites:
The information on these websites has not been checked by our doctors, but they are rated as good quality sites.
Al-ateen - for young people aged 12-20 who have been affected by someone else's drinking
Bullying Online - guidelines and advice
Childline - this website has many useful factsheets based on the range of problems children ask them about, including: boys allowed, bullying, can you work it out, child abuse, domestic violence, eating problems, exam stress, friends, HIV and AIDS, homelessness and runaways,pregnancy and contraception, racism, safe surfing, stepfamilies, suicide, when someone dies, your rights.
Doctor Ann's Virtual Surgery - questions and answers for common worries for teenagers
Embarrassing Problems - a UK site with advice and information on many difficult health issues
Foodlink - information for all ages on food safety and hygiene in the kitchen and games to play
Government websites with detailed information on:
drugs - a website called Talk to Frank aimed at young people
immunisation - information on many immunisations available in UK, including polio, meningitis, meningitis C, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR vaccine), diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) (DTP vaccine), haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), tuberculosis (BCG vaccine) and hepatitis B
Lifebytes - gives young people aged 11 - 14 facts about health in a fun and interesting way
sexual health - a website called Playing Safely aimed at young adults 16 - 24 years.
Mind, Body & Soul - a government website to give young people aged 14-16 information and advice on healthy living and playing including alcohol, drugs, emotional health, healthy eating, physical activity, safety, sexual health and smoking
Moving on up - a UK site giving information on health and growing up for young people from ethnic minorities. Information also available in Arabic, Chinese, Gujarati, Punjabi and Urdu
So What is Sexual Health? (SWISH) - very detailed website with 3 sections - one for young people, one for parents and one for professionals; it provides information, advice, an agony aunt, the laws and what schools should be teaching
Student Health - health advice for UK students written by doctors
Teen Info on Cancer - information on cancer aimed at teenagers
Teenage Health Freak - health information aimed at teenagers with and ask the doctor section
Teens First for Health - information about illnesses and your body, what it's like in hospital and real stories from other teenagers
There4Me - Website run by NSPCC for 12-16 year olds with info on family problems, bullying, feeling down, sex, relationships etc.
YHeart - a site from the British Heart Foundation aimed at teenagers
Youth Health Talk - run by DIPEX a collection of interviews with young people about their experiences of health or illness
Young People & Sexual Health - a UK website with detailed information on sexual health conditions and contraception and sexuality issues
Youth2Youth - the website has a library of problems that young people have sent in. Also have an email help service, plus a chat room open the same hours as the helpline.
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National contacts:
After 16 - choices and challenges for young disabled people
Brook Centre, Studio 421, Highgate Studios, 51 - 79 Highgate Road, London NW5 1TL Tel: 0800 0185 023 Helpline for under 19's: 0800 28 29 30 Email information@brookcentres.org.uk free, confidential sex advice and contraception to all young people
Centrepoint, Central House, 25 Camperdown Street, London E1 8DZ Tel: 0845 4663400 Helping homeless 16-25 year olds
Childline - 0800 1111
Connexions Direct - Tel: 080 800 13219 Text: 07766 413219 information and advice on learning, careers, health, relationships, money and lots more for ages 13-19
Contact a family, 209-211 City Road, London EC1V 1JN Tel: 020 7608 8700 Helpline: 0808 808 3555 - free for parents and carers (10am - 4pm Mon-Fri) Email: info@cafamily.org.uk Offers support for families of disabled or ill children
CRUSE Bereavement Care Youth, Helpline: 0808 808 1677 for 12-18 year olds
Get Connected, Helpline:0808 808 4994 A telephone helpline that finds young people the best help, whatever the problem
Headz Up - Alopecia UK, 5 Titchwell Road, London SW18 3LW Tel: 0208 333 1661 Email: info@alopeciaonline.org.uk Alopecia support for teenagers
Help Adolescents with Cancer (HAWC), 1st Floor Post Office Buildings, 338 Hollinwood Avenue, New Moston, Manchester M40 0JB Tel: 0161 688 6244 Email: niki@hawc.fsnet.co.uk or hawc@btinternet.com Also offer interpreters in Urdu, Punjabi, Spanish, German and Greek
Hope UK, 25(f) Copperfield Street, London SE1 0EN Tel: 020 7928 0848 Email: a.wilson@hopeuk.org encouraging young people to make drug-free choices
Kidscape, 2 Grosvenor Road, London SW1W 0DH Tel: 0207 730 3300 Helpline: 08451 205204 Advice and support for child abuse and bullying
Message Home - 0800 700 740 A confidential Helpline that enables those who have left home or run away to leave a message to pass on to a relative, carer or friend.
Sexwise: Helpline for under 19's: 0800 28 29 30
Young Arthritis Care, 18 Stephenson Way, London NW1 2HD, Tel: 020 7380 6500 Freephone Helpline: 0808 808 2000 (Mon 4-7pm, Wed-Fri 10-2pm) Email: thesource@arthritiscare.org.uk
Young Minds (Children's mental health charity), 102-108 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1M 5SA Tel: 020 7336 8445 Infoline: 0800 0182138
Youth2Youth - Tel: 020 8896 3675 Telephone, email and online chat helpline run by young people for young people. Open Monday and Thursday evening 6.30pm to 9.30pm.
There are also many links and contacts for specific conditions and diseases - go to information topics
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West Midlands Contacts:
Adolescent Unit, Woodbourne Priory Hospital, 21-23 Woodbourne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B17 8BY Tel: 0121 429 8661 Email: caroleellis@prioryhealthcare.com We provide mental health treatment for young people aged 13 - 17. The Centre does not treat addictive behaviour such as anorexia.
Aftercare Service, 15 Acorn Grove, Ladywood, Birmingham B1 2PL Tel: 0121 464 1229 After care service for young people of ages 16 to 25 year olds.
Birmingham Chinese Youth Centre, c/o Q Lorc Resource Centre, 99 Bradford Street, Digbeth, Birmingham B12 0NS Tel: 0121 685 8511 Email: bcyc92@hotmail.com
Birmingham Signposting Service, 169 Newhall Street, Birmingham B3 1SW Tel: 0121 212 1727 Freephone: 0808 808 1001 (8am to 8pm Mon-Fri and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays) Email: enquiries@signposting.org.uk an independent helpline, text service and web-chat facility for children and young people (aged 0 - 19 years) across Birmingham helping them to find and access the support and services they need across the city
Birmingham Space, 4th Floor, King Edward Building, 205 Corporation Street, Birmingham B4 6FE Tel: 0800 072 5070 Email: Birminghamspace@barnardos.org.ok Birmingham Space provides support for children and young people under the age of 18 who are vulnerable to or at risk of being abused through sexual exploitation in the Birmingham area.
Birmingham Young Carers Project, Carers Centre, Milton Grange, 16 Handsworth Wood Road, Birmingham B20 2DR Tel: 0121 686 4070 Email: birmingham.youngcarers@nch.org.uk
Birmingham Young Volunteers Association Ltd, 4th Floor Smithfield House, Digbeth, Birmingham B5 6BS Tel: 0121 622 2888 Email: enquiry@byvadventurecamps.co.uk
Brook Centres in West Midlands offer free, confidential sex advice and contraception to all young people:
Birmingham, 59 - 65 John Bright Street, Birmingham B1 1BL Tel: 0121 6435341
Dudley, 31 Priory Street, Dudley DY1 1HA Tel: 01384 239001
Sandwell, Toll End Road, Tipton, West Midlands DT4 0HP Tel: 0121 5571937
West Bromwich, 12 New Street Ringway, West Bromwich B70 7PM Tel: 01384 239001
Connexions, Offers 13-19 year olds all the information and advice they need to make the decisions and choices in their life. This is extended to age 25 if anyone has a learning difficulty or disability:
Birmingham & Solihull, Tel: 0121 248 8000 Connexions Direct: 080 800 13219 (8am - 2am) Email: info@connexions-bs.co.uk
Birmingham East, Tel: 0121 248 8200 Email: yardley-enquiry@connexions-bs.co.uk
Birmingham North, Tel: 0121 248 8700 Email: erdington-enquiry@connexions-bs.co.uk
Birmingham North West, Tel: 0121 248 7955 Email: aston-enquiry@connexions-bs.co.uk
Birmingham North West, Tel: 0121 248 8250 Email: handsworth-enquiry@connexions-bs.co.uk
Birmingham South, Tel: 0121 248 7177 Email: kingsheath-enquiry@connexions-bs.co.uk
Birmingham South West, Tel: 0121 248 8248 Email: northfield-enquiry@connexions-bs.co.uk
Coventry & Warwickshire, Tel: 02476 707 400 Email: informationteam@cswpconnexions.org.uk
Dudley, Red House Glass Cone, High Street Corner of Bridge Street, Wordsley DY8 4AZ Tel: 0121 502 7500 Helpline: 0800 100 1980 Email: feedback@blackcountryconnexions.co.uk
Herefordshire & Worcestershire, 3rd Floor, Virginia House, The Butts, Worcester, WR1 3PA Tel: 01905 332740
Sandwell, c/o Dudley College Training Centre, Station Drive, Dudley Port DY4 7QR Tel: 0121 502 7501 Helpline: 0800 100 1980 Email: feedback@blackcountryconnexions.co.uk
Shropshire, 1st Floor, Victoria House, Victoria Quay, Shrewsbury SY1 1HH Tel: 01743 284428
Solihull (Chelmsley Wood), Tel: 0121 770 1861 Email: chelmsley-enquiry@connexions-bs.co.uk
Solihull, Tel: 0121 251 1800 Email: shirley-enquiry@connexions-bs.co.uk
Staffordshire (website temporarily down), Tel: 0808 1000 434 Email: info@cxstaffs.co.uk
Walsall, Small Street Centre, 1a Small Street, Walsall WS1 3PR Tel: 01922 707865 Helpline: 0800 100 1980 Email: feedback@blackcountryconnexions.co.uk
Wolverhampton, Dale House, St John's Square, Wolverhampton WV2 4BE Tel: 0121 502 7503 Helpline: 0800 100 1980 Email: feedback@blackcountryconnexions.co.uk
Disabled Children's Register and Information Service, Harris House, 8 St Agnes Road, Moseley, Birmingham B13 9PW Tel: 0121 449 6375 Set up by Birmingham City Council Social Services Department & Birmingham Health Authority.
Information Shop for Young People, Central Library, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3HQ Tel: 0121 303 4441 Email: infoshop@birmingham.gov.uk (11-5pm Tues-Fri) Drop in facility for young people aged 11-25 years. Housing, homelessness, benefits, careers, education, sexual health, counselling, emotional health and wellbeing
Kidzfirst (Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire), Tel: 01432 267 584 For young people up to age 19 with a disability
MentorIT ACADEMY (BVYC CiC), 81 Lozells Road, Lozells, Birmingham B18 2TS Tel: 0121 554 5255 or 0121 689 0768 or Mob: 07932953810 Email: Info@bvyp.co.uk Organisation that deals with youths in the Birmingham area.
Oakfield Road Leaving Care Project, Flat 1, 91-95 Oakfield Road, Balsall Heath, Birmingham B12 9PY Tel: 0121 446 4369 Offering support to young people aged 16 to 21 who have left care.
Park Street Young Teenage Parents Unit (Worcester), 19-21 Park Street Worcester WR5 1AD Tel: 01905 354 609 support homeless young teenagers 16-25 and their children up to the age of 4 years old
RISQ (Relationships, Information, Sexuality and Questions for under 20's), 14 Deercote, Hollingswood, Telford TF3 2BH Tel: 01952 200 070
Shropshire Health for Youth, Telford & Wrekin Primary Care NHS Trust, Sexual Health Services, 3rd Floor, Princess House, The Square, Shrewsbury SY1 1JZ Tel: 01743 283382/3
South Birmingham Young Homeless Project, The Depot, Belton Grove, Longbridge, Birmingham B45 9PE Tel: 0121 453 0606/457 8736
Space West Midlands, 52 Boldmere Road, Sutton Coldfield B73 5TJ Tel/helpline: 0121 321 3737 Email: office@spacewestmidlands.org.uk Focus is young people, offering sexual health education, advice and counselling service for crisis pregnancies and abortion.
Sunrise Child Bereavement Centre (West Midlands), 43a Calthorpe Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 1TS Tel: 0121 454 1705 (9am-5pm) Email: christine.sunrise@zetnet.co.uk for parents who have lost a child or children who have lost a family member
WALKWAYS (Walsall), Youth Project, 44 Littleton Street West, Walsall WS2 8EN Tel: 01922 615393 Email: info@walkways.org.uk provide counselling, information and support to young people aged from 11 - 25
Walsall Youth Service, 2nd floor, Norwich Union House, 17 Lichfield Street, Walsall WS1 1TU Tel: 01922 650432 Email: morelands@walsall.gov.uk
West Midlands Public Libraries - Information can be found at your local public library.
What? Centre, 23 Coventry Street, Stourbridge DY8 1EP Tel: 01384 379992 Email: thewhatcentre@aol.com A young person's (13-25) advice and counselling service.
Wolverhampton Teenage Pregnancy Unit, Oxley Health Centre, Probert Road, Fordhouses, Wolverhampton WV10 6UF Tel: 01902 445330 Email: Sue.Wheatcroft@wolvespct.nhs.uk or Pat.Robinson@wolvespct.nhs.uk
Worcester YMCA, Henwick Road, Worcester WR2 5NS Tel: 01905 423197 Email: admin2@ymcaworcester.org.uk provides a supportive environment for disadvantaged homeless people including accommodation and leisure facilities
Worcestershire Young Carers, Suite 1, Quillgold House, Hampton Lovett Industrial Estate, Droitwich WR9 0QH Tel: 01905 799691 Fax: 01905 799692
Worcestershire Youth Services, Freephone: 0800 096 1425
WPH Counselling and Education Service (Incorporating Walsall Pregnancy Help), The Haven, 59a Lichfield Street, Walsall WS4 2BX Tel: 01922 649000 Fax: 01922 649322 Email: mail@wphcounselling.org WPH Counselling: Free (professional) counselling for, Depression, anxiety, abuse, self harming, relationships and sexual health education programmes designed for young people. Walsall Pregnancy Help: Free pregnancy testing, pre and post abortion counselling, still birth and loss, sexual health and contraception information.
There are also many links and contacts for specific conditions and diseases - go to information topics
Other Information Sources:
Search the BBC news for latest news
Electronic Medicines Compendium contains Patient Information Leaflets on many medicines
Leaflets and publications for people with learning disabilities or whose first language is not English:
Books Beyond Words - a series of books for adults and adolescents who cannot read or who have difficulty reading, books include information on medical topics, keeping healthy (including Looking after my breasts, Keeping healthy 'down below', Looking after my balls), about the body, bereavement, crime.
Down's Syndrome Scotland has online information on: Let's Talk About Puberty, Let's Talk About Periods,
Elfrida Society - booklets include: Food, Keep Clean, Safety in The Home, Coming for a Drink, Cathy has Thrush, Period Problems, Your Private Parts Pack, Drug Pack
Fair Multimedia - Tel: 0131 662 1962 Booklets - Guide to having a period, Guide to having a smear test, Guide to checking your breasts, Guide to examining your testicles, Guide to having a healthy mouth, Women's guide to keeping clean, Men's guide to keeping clean, Thinking about sex and CD Roms - Guide to checking your breasts, Guide to examining your testicles.
Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities - All about feeling down: A booklet for young people with learning disabilities
Mencap - You and your safety : A basic guide to being safe. Mencap Books The Mencap Shop 123, Golden lane London EC1Y 0RT 020 7608 3254
Medical Dictionary