Lesson video

Hi, I'm Ms. Lowe and I'm your RSHE teacher for today.

Thank you so much for choosing to complete your learning with me.

Now, because of some of the topics covered in today's lesson, it's really important that you complete your learning today with an adult.

So by the end of today's lesson, you are gonna be able to describe different menstrual health conditions and explain when someone may need support.

Every RSHE lesson should begin with a set of ground rules.

This ensures that every conversation had in RSHE is respectful and we're all able to learn effectively.

So Laura is reminding us that in RSHE, we should listen to others.

It's okay to disagree with each other, but we should listen properly before making assumptions or deciding how to respond, and when disagreeing, we challenge the statement and not the person.

Andeep is reminding us to respect privacy.

We can discuss examples, but we don't use names or descriptions that can identify anyone including ourselves.

Izzy is reminding us to choose a level of participation that suits us.

Everyone has the right to choose not to answer a question or to join in a discussion, but we never put anyone on the spot.

And finally, Jacob is reminding us that in RSHE, there is no judgment.

We can explore beliefs and misunderstandings about a topic without the fear of being judged.

So here are our key words for today's lesson.

Many of these key words refer to medical conditions and they might be words that you haven't heard before.

So we're gonna go through those definitions together now.

Firstly, we have PMS, this stands for premenstrual syndrome.

This occurs a few weeks before a person has their period and includes changes in emotions and physical sensations.

PCOS, this stands for polycystic ovary syndrome.

This is a condition that affects how the ovaries work.

Endometriosis, a condition in which tissue grows in other places outside the uterus.

And finally, PMDD, premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

This is a health problem that is similar to PMS, but more serious.

So let's have a look at the outline of today's lesson.

We are gonna begin by looking at menstrual cycle symptoms and then move on to managing menstrual health conditions.

So what is puberty and why should we learn about it? Well, Laura is telling us that puberty is the start of the body changing from childhood to adulthood.

Andy is telling us that understanding what happens and why, can help us to be more informed about these changes.

Jacob is saying that our bodies are amazing and puberty is actually an exciting time, but it can also be worrying.

And finally, Izzy is telling us that puberty is when the body produces hormones like testosterone and estrogen that trigger these important changes in the body.

There are lots of changes that a person goes through during puberty, and these include growth spurts, menstruation, increased sweat, penis and testicle growth, breast development, oily skin, spots and acne, facial hair growth, disrupted sleep, muscles become bigger and stronger, voices become deeper, sperm starts to be produced.

And hair growth, whether that's under arm, pubic hair growth and leg hair, there are lots and lots of changes and developments that take place during puberty.

Now, after seeing that list, Laura says, this feels like a lot to go through and Sam agrees and she says, it all just seems a bit overwhelming, but our doctor here is going to reassure us.

She says it can seem a bit overwhelming, but not everything that we saw on that list will happen to everyone and they don't all happen at once.

It might just start with one change and you might not even realize it at first.

Now people will start to notice changes as they get older.

We can see here Laura has changed a lot from when she was in primary school, and she's saying that she has definitely noticed some of the changes that she has experienced during puberty.

One of the biggest changes that female bodies will experience is that of menstruation.

People's menstrual cycle and symptoms will vary.

Everybody is different.

Some menstrual cycles will be regular, others will be irregular.

Some people experience symptoms of premenstrual syndrome or PMS, whereas others will not.

And some people will have a light menstrual flow, but for others it might be heavier.

Everybody is different when it comes to menstruation.

Now let's check our understanding on what we've just learned there.

Which of these following menstrual symptoms might vary from person to person? I'd like you to read through the three options, have a think about your answer, and then we'll discuss them together in just a moment.

Really well done for giving that a go and an extra well done if you saw the trick in this question, because they are all correct, these differences are very common, but there are some symptoms that a person might want to seek help for.

So the menstrual cycle goes through four phases, and these four phases take place over the course of about 28 days.

During the menstrual cycle, the uterus lining builds up to prepare for pregnancy.

When the body realizes it's not pregnant, the person loses this blood and tissue as menstrual flow, and this is known as a period.

If you have a look on the left hand side of the screen here, you can see that 28 day menstrual cycle broken up into those four phases.

Now, cycle lengths will vary from person to person, but generally they last between 21 and 35 days.

So Laura here is saying that her cycle is only 26 days.

Izzy says that hers was 32 days last month, whereas Aisha says that her cycle was 34 days last month, but it's 28 days this month.

So what we can see here is that cycle length doesn't just vary from person to person, but actually varies for just one person by themselves.

We look at Aisha's example.

She's saying that her menstrual cycle changed from 34 to 28 days, so it can differ for one person.

Now, although cycle lengths vary, there are some symptoms that people should speak to a medical professional about.

These include bleeding that's not part of a normal menstrual cycle, a missed period or consistently irregular periods.

These things could be a sign of inflammation or infection.

If any of these three things are experienced, it's very important that you speak to a medical professional.

Now, let's check our understanding here about what we've just learned.

Which of these menstrual symptoms should a person speak to a medical professional about? Only having a light flow, bleeding mid cycle, or having a regular cycle that lasts 30 days? Have a think about your answer and then we'll go through the correct one together.

Well done, if you said B, bleeding mid cycle is a symptom that somebody should go and speak to a medical professional about.

And why is that? Well, bleeding that is not a part of a person's normal menstrual cycle could be a sign of inflammation or infection.

Very well done if you said B.

There are varying physical symptoms experienced by menstruating people.

People can also experience a range of emotions which can change dramatically during this cycle.

These symptoms can appear at different points in a person's cycle, and again, it will vary from person to person.

The doctor here has given us some really good advice.

She says that people should listen to their bodies and take care of themselves accordingly.

If something doesn't feel right, we should speak to a medical professional who can advise us on what to do.

A few weeks before their period, some people might experience PMS. Physical symptoms of PMS can include tender breasts, headaches, bloating, and tiredness, but it can also affect emotions.

And some of these emotional symptoms can include irritability or an increased feeling of sensitivity.

Izzy here is telling us about a symptom of PMS that she experiences.

She says, my skin can also be quite dry and spotty during PMS or before menstruating.

Now what I would like for you to do is to have a look at these symptoms of PMS and I want you to try and sort them into which are emotional symptoms and which are physical symptoms. To do this, you're gonna pause the video, read through that list of symptoms, and then put a tick next to whether you think it is a physical symptom or an emotional symptom.

And we'll join back together in a moment.

Really well done for giving that a go.

Let's have a look at those answers.

So irritability is an emotional symptom.

Tender breasts, headaches, and bloating are physical symptoms. Increased sensitivity is emotional, and skin changes are physical.

Big well done if you've got all of those symptoms sorted correctly.

There are lots of ways to ease the symptoms of PMS, rest and warmth, vitamins, gentle exercise, a balanced diet, or even support from friends or trusted adults.

So rest and warmth can help with symptoms like bloating, aches and tenderness.

Supplements and vitamins can be helpful, but it's always important to speak to a doctor first.

Gentle exercise and good sleep can help improve mood and reduce physical symptoms. A healthy diet can help to balance mood and it provides energy.

And finally, talking to our friends or a trusted adult about feelings can be useful as they can offer help and support.

Now we're gonna put our learning into practice.

So I would like for you to give two pieces of advice to these Oak National Academy pupils to help with their PMS symptoms. So Laura is saying that her body aches and she feels tired all the time.

Sam is experiencing some emotional symptoms and she says that she feels really fed up and lacking in patience.

So have a look at those two problems that Laura and Sam are having, and I'd like for you to give them two pieces of advice to help them with these symptoms. You are gonna pause the video, write down your advice, and then we'll talk about some things that you could have said together.

Excellent, so you were asked to give two pieces of advice to the Oak National Academy pupils.

For Laura, you might have advised her to eat healthily or do some gentle exercise.

This was to increase her energy and she could use a hot water bottle to help with her body aches.

Sam, you could have advised her to speak to her friends or a trusted adult about her feelings for advice and support.

And she should also try to remember that PMS symptoms won't last and she will feel more positive soon.

Really well done if you gave any of those pieces of advice to Laura and Sam.

We're moving on now to the second part of our lesson and we're gonna have a think about managing menstrual health conditions.

So most symptoms of PMS are usual, however, sometimes they can be symptoms of other conditions.

Some of the most common menstrual health conditions are polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, or premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

So Laura here is telling us a fact.

She said around 10% of females will experience PCOS or polycystic ovary syndrome.

Around 10% of females will experience endometriosis, and around 8% of females will experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

So these conditions can share symptoms. Endometriosis, PMDD and PCOS can make a person experience low mood, which is more so than PMS does.

Anxiety, low energy or fatigue and headaches.

But these conditions also have their own individual symptoms. So for endometriosis, it can cause severe period pain.

And this pain is so severe that it makes a person unable to do normal activities.

They can experience heavy periods, ones where they need to change the pad or tampon every one to two hours and pelvic pain in the back or the lower stomach.

PMDD can cause panic attacks.

It can cause difficulty concentrating, insomnia, which is a difficulty or inability to fall asleep, and changes in appetite.

PCOS can cause irregular or no periods.

It can cause excessive hair growth, the thinning of hair, or even hair loss, and it can lead to weight gain.

So let's check our understanding now about some of those menstrual health conditions.

True or false, low mood, anxiety, low energy and headaches, could all be signs of a menstrual health condition.

Pause the video here, have a think about your answer, and then we'll go through the correct one together.

Really well done if you said true, how do we know this is true? Well, endometriosis, PMDD and PCOS all share these symptoms. They also have their own specific individual symptoms too.

If someone experienced these, then they should seek help from a medical professional.

So Izzy's asking here, what is PMDD? PMDD is similar to PMS, but it is much more serious and the symptoms can be more difficult to manage.

It can cause severe irritability, anxiety, anger, and depression in the week or two before a period, when hormone levels fall.

Symptoms normally last two to three days before starting a period, but a person may need medicine or other treatments to help.

So if a person is concerned that they are experiencing PMDD, it's important that they speak to a medical professional who can help them to manage these symptoms. Now, to help somebody who is experiencing PMDD, you can be a good friend, listen and be supportive.

Encourage them to maintain a balanced diet because anxiety and insomnia can disrupt this.

You should encourage them to get regular sleep because PMDD can cause insomnia, which we said is a difficulty or inability to fall asleep, and you should advise them to speak with a medical professional.

Now Izzy is asking now, what is endometriosis? So endometriosis is when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus.

It can grow in places like the ovaries or the fallopian tubes, which you can see diagrammed there on the left.

When this tissue breaks down during a period, it turns into blood.

However, because it's outside of the uterus, it can't leave the body.

This can cause pain, difficulty going to the toilet, fatigue and very heavy periods.

Now to help somebody who is experiencing endometriosis, you can be supportive and understanding, because endometriosis can be an upsetting condition.

You could recommend them using warmth, which can help with pelvic pain.

This could be a hot water bottle or a heat patch.

And you could also advise them to speak with a medical professional about support and pain relief options.

Now, Izzy wants to know about PCOS.

Now, PCOS affects how ovaries work.

And what this means is that they don't release eggs regularly.

And this can lead to irregular periods.

Ovaries may also become enlarged, which can cause painful periods, and increase in hormones can also cause physical signs that can lead to excess hair growth or even weight gain.

Now to help somebody experiencing PCOS, you can be sympathetic and listen, because this can be an upsetting experience.

You can encourage them to exercise and adopt a healthy diet because this can help to manage some of the symptoms and you could advise them to speak with a medical professional.

Now let's quickly check our understanding about some of those menstrual health conditions.

How might Izzy help her sister who has PCOS? I'd like to read through those three options and have a think about how Izzy might help her sister.

Pause the video here, have a think, and then we'll go through the correct answer together.

Great work and well done, if you said all three are ways that Izzy can help her sister.

So gentle exercise, talking about feelings and speaking to a medical professional are all ways that a person can help to manage PCOS.

And finally, we're gonna put our learning into practice.

I would like for you to complete the table with ways to manage the symptoms of these menstrual health conditions.

So on the left we have the three menstrual health conditions.

In the middle we have a list of symptoms. And I would like for you to tell me ways that a person can manage these symptoms. To do this, you're gonna pause the video and write down your ideas.

And in a moment also we'll go through those correct answers together.

Really good work.

Now, if you completed the table with some of the things on screen, excellent, we'll go through these together.

So for endometriosis, some of the ways that these symptoms can be managed is by using warmth to ease pelvic pain, speaking to friends and trusted adults, and seeking help from a medical professional about pain relief.

For PMDD, you might have advised to maintain a balanced diet, keeping a regular sleep pattern as people with PMDD can experience insomnia and advising them to speak to a medical professional as there may be medications that can help.

Finally, for PCOS, ways that these symptoms can be managed include exercise and a healthy diet, support from friends and trusted adults, and speaking to a medical professional who can help with pain relief.

Excellent work if you mentioned any of those ways that these symptoms can be managed.

Now to end our lesson, we're gonna go through a summary of what we have learned today.

So puberty is the start of the body changing from childhood into adulthood.

And for female bodies, menstruation is a large part of these changes.

Menstrual cycles can vary in length anywhere between 21 and 35 days.

And flow can vary as well, but people should always speak to a doctor if they are ever worried about these.

There are some ways to help improve the symptoms associated with PMS, but there are some conditions such as PCOS, PDD and endometriosis that are more serious and a person should always consult a medical professional about these.

Now, if any of the issues brought up in today's lesson affect you in any way and you want some help or support, here are two places that you can go to.

The NHS website, advice about health and prevention, including how to access services, and Childline, which can offer confidential advice and support.

And I'd like to end today's lesson with saying a big well done for all the fantastic work that you've done.

It has been a pleasure teaching you and I hope to see you again for more RSHE lessons in the future.