Adolescent Health:
Finding a doctor specializing in the teen years

Kids may outgrow their pediatrician, but they still need a physician. If your child has grown uncomfortable seeing a pediatrician whose waiting room is filled with toys and screaming babies--or she just doesn't connect with the doctor for some reason--it may be time to look for a new physician. Adolescence lasts only a few years, but this brief period presents teens with an array of unfamiliar and potentially embarrassing health issues

A physician should play a key role not just in treating your teen's illnesses, but in offering guidance on making healthy decisions in daily life. Physicians also face special issues when a teenage patient walks in the door. The doctor must balance the teen's privacy with the parents' desire to know what's going on. And the doctor must be familiar with the issues that are important to young people and know how to draw out information and dispense advice without sounding preachy.

The best way to find a good doctor in your area is to do some homework and ask people you know and trust for their recommendations. Talk to the nurse at your child's school. Ask other parents of teenagers. Have your child ask for the names of his friends' doctors.

Once you find a candidate who seems promising, make an appointment to visit the doctor with your child. Ask questions to elicit answers that will show you if this is a person you want treating your growing teen. Ask: "Are you willing to meet with my child alone? Will you be helpful on sexuality issues without being judgmental? What are your thoughts on delaying sexual activity and avoiding substance abuse?" Also watch how the doctor interacts with your child. Does the doctor speak to your child or only to you?

As your child grows older, you should be willing to allow her to play a larger role in her health care--and to accept a hands-off role for yourself. At some point, this will mean sitting in the waiting room as she visits with the doctor.

Here are more thoughts to keep in mind as your child heads into the teen years:

* Start giving your children more responsibility in talking with the doctor around age 9 or so. Let them explain their own symptoms and answer questions about how they feel. These kinds of discussions require practice, and kids need to have this experience by the time they're teenagers.

* Teens should see the doctor for a checkup yearly even if they're healthy. If they have no particular problem to discuss, the visit will be a good time for the doctor to ask about their overall wellness and offer preventive guidance.

* Establish how you, your child, and the doctor will deal with confidential issues now. Let your teen know when you'll be talking to the doctor, and be sure the physician also gives her a heads-up before calling you.

To find the names of teen-friendly physicians, psychologists, and other professionals in your area, contact The Society for Adolescent Medicine at www.adolescenthealth.org

Source: www.findarticles.com