How we fact-check

Parents are trusting us with a sensitive subject. Here is exactly how we earn that trust.

Our rules

• Trusted sources only. Health claims come from the American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org), Nemours KidsHealth, the CDC, and children's hospital or university health systems. We do not use forums, influencers, or unsourced blogs for medical facts.
• Every article lists its sources. You can click through and check us.
• We say when sources differ. Age ranges for puberty vary a little by source, so we show the ranges instead of picking one number.
• We write in our own words. We summarize the guidance and link to the original rather than copying it.
• We do not diagnose. Nothing here replaces a pediatrician. When a worry could be medical, we tell you to ask his doctor.
• We date our checks. Each article shows when facts were last checked, and we revisit them when guidance changes.

Reviewer status

These articles have not yet been reviewed by a licensed clinician. We plan to add a named pediatric reviewer and will note it on each article when that happens.

Found a mistake?

Please tell us at hello@imawkward.us. We will check it against the sources and fix it, and we will note the correction.