Young People

… are not children!

Young people are at the threshold between childhood and adulthood and are going through a phase of wild changes in their bodies and around them. Their claim to self-determination is just as legitimate as their need for care and support. It is very important for us to acknowledge our young patients in the same way. To provide them with the necessary space and at the same time to give them the necessary support. We have therefore taken into account the need for a spatial separation between the area for our child patients and the young people in the waiting area—with a corresponding literature offer and also a USB socket for the smartphone. 😉

The young musculoskeletal system undergoes a significant growth spurt and ultimately the closure of the growth plates, which makes injuries in adolescence particularly challenging. The appropriate therapy, taking into account these peculiarities, requires an understanding of these changes. Furthermore, it is precisely the young people who, by their very nature, challenge their bodies, achieve performance and thus also take risks. This is part of being young and must be accepted. The sports rebuilding after injuries can usually not go quickly enough for the young people and yet one must carefully consider what the body can do at which point in the healing process. A complete ban on sports is not, however, the right solution. Rather, a joint plan is needed from day one after an injury of what will be done when.

But not only the musculoskeletal system undergoes changes, but the whole body - whether externally or internally. The development of sex characteristics and the expression of a sex identity can be challenging. We are happy to answer questions and support our patients on this path. Whether it's doubts about whether everything is right and also in the "schedule" or whether it's the first time the self-examination of the testicles is done (from 15 to 35, testicular cancer is the most common and easiest to detect tumor in young men). Of course, the patients themselves decide who is present in the room. This can also mean that the parents have to leave the room sometimes … There is one small restriction: We would like the mother to be present during the examination of girls, or alternatively a female colleague.

Dealing with victims of sexual violence is—unfortunately—not a rarity for us. Outside of our work in the practice Heike Stracke and Dr. Phillip Rogge are involved in the prevention of sexual violence team of the German Life Saving Association on a voluntary basis. Of course, we are also available as a contact person with a safe space for young people.