Saturday, May 14, 2016

Polk Teen Summit offers guidance on avoiding pregnancy, staying healthy – The Ledger

<p>LAKELAND — Artist Ryan Burns held up a toddler, his son, to the audience.</p><p>“If you have actually sex unprotected,” he said. “You’re checking out have actually among these.” </p><p>Concerning 95 teenagers came to Southeastern University on Saturday morning for the 2016 Polk Teen Summit. The free annual event organized by the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Alliance and Healthy and balanced Begin Coalition assists educate teens Concerning pregnancy prevention and sexual health.</p><p>“Polk County ranks 24th from 67 counties in teen pregnancy,” said Marquina Butts-Fisher, Teen Pregnancy Prevention Alliance routine manager. “Teen pregnancy is higher still in the state of Florida also as STDs. So we wanted to delivering our parents and teens out to educate them on pregnancy prevention, sexual transmitted ailment prevention and the importance it is to communicate Concerning sexual health.” </p><p>Teens took portion in a Family Feud-themed game Concerning the negative effects of smoking and took portion in a talk show-design forum titled “Exactly what the Facts?” where they could find out facts Concerning sexual Healthiness and risky behavior.</p><p>For Concerning an hour, teens were separated by gender and Dr. Jennifer M. Nixon, companion at Lakeland OB-GYN spoke to the girls Concerning Exactly what can easily be done to Stay away from teen pregnancy. She additionally sat on a panel along with Trinetta McCalip, of A Woman’s Choice, and Shawn Terrell, a young mother functioning to defeat the stigma that comes along with being a teen mother.</p><p> “I believe that in this day and age there ought to be no requirement why any type of woman ought to have actually a pregnancy if they do not want to,” Nixon said. “I believe the very first line of defense so to speak, especially along with teenagers, would certainly be abstinence, However after that after that I believe you have actually to be responsible.”</p><p> She said that having honest communication is one the essential weapons versus teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.</p><p> “I believe you have actually to be open and honest along with teenagers, if you don’t, I believe they will certainly shed their trust in you,” she said. “I believe forums adore this where people can easily ask questions, non-judgmental, I believe it’s fairly important. If you Begin along with prevention you remove a great deal of troubles that can easily occur later.”</p><p> The boys took in a panel along with recent University of Central Florida graduate Brennan Roberson, HIV-sufferer Brian Laffery, Melvin Butts, that handled the treatment of STDs as a medical professional throughout his time in Navy, and Burns of Ryan B & Co.</p><p>Butts said, “4.8 million units of penicillin! That’s Exactly what it requires to cure gonorrhea. One in each cheek; imagine that. And after you’re cured Exactly what has actually happened to your system now? You’ve been tagged, and you’re much more susceptible to it.”</p><p>Laffery contracted HIV while dating a woman. He stressed the importance of thinking Concerning others as soon as making decisions.</p><p>“It ain’t zero nice,” Laffery said. “I do blood examinations every 6 months. My medication expense virtually $3,000 a month. The point is, you go out and have actually sex and provide someone the virus of HIV, you can easily visit jail, since it’s a crime. You have actually to think of on your own and the people about you.”</p><p> Butts additionally spoke to the boys Concerning the importance of communication.</p><p> “You have to have actually someone to talk to as soon as you having troubles along with sex,” he said. “It could be the chaplain, it could be your momma, your daddy, it could be your higher school football coach. any type of adult you feel comfortable talking to, you have to have actually that discussion.” </p><p>Partners for the event were the Florida Department of Education, the Department of Juvenile Justice, Healthy and balanced Begin Coalition, Campfire USA, Ryan B & Co., RISK Club, Students functioning versus Tobacco, and various other volunteer organizations.</p><p> “The education is invaluable and those that have to be right here are here,” Butts-Fisher said.​</p>