Let´s learn to interview adolescents. Adolescent physical examination

Interviewing the adolescent is an art given the bio-psycho-social complexity of each adolescent who may believe that the interviewer is going to enter his privacy. Taking into account this premise the health caregiver must introspect to know if he/she is really interested in attending adolescents with all the circumstances this implies: time, adequate technical training and personal mood for adolescents and youngsters problems, as well as the very likely relation with their families. A well-planned interview will make possible to go to the physical examination with most of the diagnosis already made. The physical examination will make possible to know what thinks the adolescent about his/her body and will be an excellent opportunity to reveal dreads and fears at the same time that allows us to make a preventive an educative labour. The exploration room must be isolated and equipped in order to preserve the privacy. It is advisable the presence of a nurse to avoid misinterpretations. The physical examination must be complete through apparatus and systems, having in mind that genitalia and breasts may have difficulties and sometimes have to be postponed.