Callia Georgoulis

For many adolescent girls, the first visit to a gynecologist is surrounded by anxiety, embarrassment, and misinformation. Stories shared among peers, exaggerated portrayals online, and a general lack of education about reproductive health often lead young patients to expect invasive exams or uncomfortable procedures. In reality, the first gynecologic visit is rarely about procedures.

Hashimoto’s disease is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in children and adolescents, yet it remains frequently overlooked, particularly in adolescent girls. Fatigue, mood changes, weight gain, and cognitive slowing are often attributed to mental health conditions or dismissed as normal features of puberty, delaying diagnosis and treatment.

When most people think of seizures, they picture someone falling to the ground with violent shaking, the dramatic scenes we’ve seen in movies and television. While these tonic-clonic seizures (previously known as grand mal seizures) do occur, the reality is that many seizures look nothing like what Hollywood portrays. They are often subtle, easily missed, and can be mistaken for daydreaming or unusual behavior.