Lesson video

Hello and welcome to this unit of work, "Health and prevention: Self-care and self-awareness." My name is Mrs. Smith.

In this lesson we will look at self-examination and the benefits of this.

We will also learn about common types of self-examination and what to look for.

This lesson might contain some sensitive topics for you and we therefore recommend checking the lesson with a trusted adult beforehand or completing the lesson with a trusted adult nearby.

If you are ready then let's begin.

For this lesson you will need an exercise book or paper and a pen to write with.

If you need to get that equipment do so now and press play when you're ready carry on.

Our agenda for today's lesson looks like this.

We will start by looking at the benefits of self-examination.

Discuss the common types of self-examination and how to self examine.

We will end with a reflection and exit quiz.

Our keywords for today's lesson include self-examination, examination of one's own body especially for the evidence of disease.

Testicles, two organs enclosed in the scrotum behind the penis, they produce sperm and melanoma a form of cancer that begins in the skin cells that produce pigment.

We will begin with looking at the benefits of self-examination and I would like you to pop down on your piece of paper why you think it might be important to self-examine for possible diseases? Do that now and press play when you're ready to carry on.

The benefits of self-examination.

So self examination as we saw in our key words is when people check their own bodies for any abnormalities this could include testicular areas, the breasts or even for skin cancer.

Self-examination can detect those abnormalities earlier than they would otherwise be found.

Early detection of something being wrong can greatly increase the chances of successful treatment if the abnormality is cancerous.

If you ever did find an abnormality you should always visit your doctor as soon as possible.

Doctors are then able to carry out their own examinations and refer you for further testing.

There are many conditions that can cause the same symptoms and most of these are harmless but it's important that you do get any abnormalities checked as soon as possible.

So can you remember which three parts of your body I mentioned previously that you can self examine for abnormalities? Pause the video now and see if you can remember all three.

The three parts were testicles, breasts and skin.

We shall start by discussing how we can self-examine testicles for abnormalities.

Testicular cancer is a relatively rare type of cancer accounting for just 1% of all cancers that occur in men.

Around 2,300 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer every year in the UK and testicular cancer is unusual compared with other cancers because it tends to affect younger men.

So it is common between the ages of 15 and 40.

For reasons that are unclear, white men have a higher risk of developing testicular cancer than men from other ethnic groups.

And the number of cases of testicular cancer diagnosed each year in the UK has roughly doubled since the mid 1970s.

Again the reasons are unclear for this.

Testicular cancer is one of the most treatable cancers and the outlook is one of the best for cancers.

If you do discover that anything abnormal and even one of your testicles you should see your GP and your GP will examine you.

And if they think the lump is in your testicle they may consider cancer as a possible cause.

Only a very small minority of scrotal lumps or swellings are cancerous.

For example, swollen blood vessels and cysts in the tubes around the testicle are common causes for testicular lumps.

If you do have testicular cancer the sooner treatment begins the greater the likelihood that you'll be completely cured.

What I would like to do now is pause the video and make a note of the four key signs and checks that you should be making when examining your testicles.

Press play when you're ready to carry on.

We will now discuss how we can self-examine our breasts for abnormalities.

Breast cancer is more likely to affect adults but making self-examination a habit when we are younger may help us later on.

It is important to check breast tissue regularly once a month for any physical or visual changes.

Breast cancer is more likely to affect women than men as they have more breast tissue but men can also suffer from breast cancer.

You should visit the nhs.

uk website for guidance on how to check your breasts for changes and also to check your testicles for changes.

Breast changes can happen for many reasons and most of them aren't serious.

Lots of women have breast lumps and nine out of 10 are not cancerous.

However, if you find changes in your breasts that aren't normal for you, it's best to see your GP as soon as possible.

This is because it is important to rule out breast cancer.

If cancer is detected, the appropriate treatment should be planned as quickly as possible.

There is no right or wrong way to check your breasts but this is important to know how your breasts usually look and feel.

That way you can spot any changes quickly and report them to your GP.

Every woman's breasts are different in terms of shape, size and consistency.

It's also possible for one breast to be larger than the other.

Get used to how your breasts look at different times of the month.

This can change during your menstrual cycle.

For example, some women have tender and lumpy breasts especially near the armpit around the time of their period.

After menopause normal breasts feel softer less firm and not as lumpy.

So be aware of this as well.

What I would like you to do now is pause the video and write down the eight different changes that you should be aware of and look out for when you are self examining your breasts.

The final area of our body that we should self examine for abnormalities is your skin.

Regular self examination of our own skin helps to know what it looks like normally.

By being familiar with our own skin we are more likely to notice any unusual or persistent changes.

A mirror should be used to check the parts of the body that we cannot easily see.

People should see a doctor if they'd see any changes in a mole, a freckle or a patch of skin.

The first sign of melanoma or skin cancer is usually a mole which has some of the following: Asymmetry, irregular borders, colour variation or size.

You can see examples of melanomas on the NHS websites.

Other signs of skin cancer includes a new growth or sore that does not heal, spot, mole or sore that itches or hurts and a modal growth that bleeds crusts or scabs.

Anyone noticing any of these signs should see their doctor as soon as possible.

I would like you to now pause the video and make a note of the four changes to look out for when self examining your skin for abnormalities For this next activity I would like you to pause the video and use the time to go and have a go at self examination.

Check the areas that are relevant to you and plan when you are next going to carry out that self-examination.

Encourage others in your lives to do the same and explain to them the benefits of self-examination for abnormalities.

We shall now end the lesson with a reflection.

Self-examination is when people check their own body for any abnormality which could be a sign of cancer.

The most common types of self-examination are focusing on testicles, breasts or your skin.

You now I have an exit quiz to complete.

If you would like to share any of your notes on Twitter, please ask a parent or carer and use the hashtag learn with Oak.

I will see you again next lesson.

Thank you for joining me.

Goodbye.