Keeping Your Teen Healthy
Staying healthy and building a relationship with a primary care provider (PCP) should not happen when a problem arises. Working with a family doctor or PCP should be a consistent practice. More importantly, seeing a doctor should start early. Parents, for instance, should ensure teen children establish family doctor visits as soon as possible. Teens go through rapid growth and changes, including emotional development and increasing independence. Routine preventative care, therefore, is essential for long-term health. Parents can help teens monitor development and catch concerns early before severe changes occur. Teens are often healthy and full of life, so knowing how often to see a family doctor helps to strike the right balance.
Establishing teen annual wellness visits
Annual wellness visits are preventative healthcare appointments with a PCP who can find health challenges and create personalized treatment plans. While this sounds ideal for aging adults, teens can benefit significantly. Parents should schedule a yearly checkup at a minimum. These visits allow a family doctor to track height, weight, blood pressure, and overall development. Growth patterns during adolescence can reveal important clues about hormonal balance, nutrition, and even overall health. Yearly visits also ensure vaccinations are up to date. PCPs administer some vaccinations and booster shots during a patient’s teenage years. Routine checkups also provide a structured opportunity to review lifestyle habits, including sleep, diet, exercise, and screen time. Yearly visits to assess these essential teen health markers can be transformative for long-term well-being.
Beyond the physical
Even if teens look and feel healthy, a yearly visit can ensure all is well on an emotional and mental level. Adolescence is a time of significant social and emotional change. Anxiety, depression, academic stress, and social pressures often emerge during these years. Regular visits create a safe space for teens to discuss mental health concerns with a medical professional. Family doctors screen for anxiety, depression, substance use, and even risky behaviors. Spotting these issues early can lead to recommendations for mental health support, lifestyle adjustments, and counseling. Teens can build trusting relationships with a yearly visit, which helps with the transition to adulthood.
When are more frequent visits needed?
There are times and situations where additional doctor visits can benefit teens. Chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or hormonal disorders require closer monitoring. Teens with irregular menstrual cycles, severe acne, significant weight changes, or sleep disturbances may need follow-up appointments. Patents with teens involved in sports may need to arrange additional visits to a family doctor or sports physician. Soft tissue injuries can occur, while growth spurts can impact musculoskeletal development or lead to repetitive use injuries. Sometimes, long-term sports injuries can be addressed or even prevented with an additional checkup.
Encouraging healthy habits early
At a minimum, teens should visit a family doctor once a year. These annual checks ensure teens are on track with health and wellness goals. Basic health markers and vaccinations can be checked and updated. Additional visits can help with mental health concerns, teens in sports, or teens with pre-existing or emerging health conditions. Teen checkups are also an opportunity to gradually shift responsibility. Over time, teens feel comfortable seeing a doctor and will even be proactive when certain symptoms occur. Parents and teens who establish annual wellness visits create a strong foundation for adult health habits.
