UAMS Holds Second Girlology Puberty Event
| The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) welcomed more than 230 preteen and teen girls and their mothers, fathers or caregivers to the second Girlology puberty event.
Held March 12 in the Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Girlology aimed to help girls face puberty with greater confidence. Girls ages 8-14 attended the 2.5-hour course, accompanied by a parent or other caregiver.
Girlology participants raise their hands to ask questions during the event.Bryan Clifton
During Girlology, attendees learned about such topics as growth and development; bras and bra shopping; hygiene and hair management; nutrition and growth; menstruation and menstrual hygiene; respect for self and others; moods and emotions; and internet safety and curiosity.
“We wanted to bring this curriculum to UAMS because we know puberty can be a scary time,” said Nirvana Manning, M.D., chair and associate professor of the UAMS Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “Quite often, parents and guardians don’t know how to start these conversations with their children about puberty, so we wanted to provide medically accurate information and a starting point for these crucial conversations.”
The course was taught by Manning and others from the department — Laura Hollenbach, M.D., associate professor, and Kathryn Stambough, M.D., assistant professor in the department’s Division of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology who sees patients at Arkansas Children’s.
“We were very pleased with the turnout at Girlology,” said Manning. “Our first year, we welcomed approximately 220 girls and their accompanying adults to the event. This year, the number grew to 236. There’s obviously a hunger for this type of education in Central Arkansas, and I’m glad we’re able to provide it to our community.”
Students from the College of Medicine, along with nurses and residents, volunteered to assist with the Girlology event.Bryan Clifton
Manning praised the volunteers who helped with the event.
“We had a great group of medical students, nurses and residents volunteer for Girlology,” she said.
Throughout the event, there was time for questions, and the girls all left with an activity book about puberty they can do together with a trusted adult. The gathering also included some raffle prizes and a selfie station.
“As a doctor, I want my patients to feel empowered to make better choices about their health,” Manning said. “I love this event because we’re giving girls information that will truly help them understand the changes in their bodies. We’re helping their parents learn how to talk to their daughters about growing up. It is truly an honor to be a part of these conversations.”