12 - 17 Year Visit

12 - 17 Year Well Child Visit

We generally do not have patients change into gowns at checkups. Please wear loose clothing so that we may perform an optimal physical exam. T-shirts and loose draw-string pants work well. For girls, we prefer that the camisole tops with built-in bras NOT be worn (regular bras are fine).

Next Visit:

__ at 13 years of age

__ at 14 years of age

__ at 15 years of age

__ at 16 years of age

__ at 17 years of age

Immunizations:

____ yearly influenza vaccine

____ at age 14 or college pe meningicoccal vaccine

____ females starting age 12, HPV vaccine

NUTRITION

¨ Eat something for breakfast each morning.

¨ Make your snacks healthy ones. (Click here for a list.)

¨ Try to eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

¨ Eat at least 3 low fat dairy servings per day.

¨ Ask about calcium supplements if you can’t drink milk.

¨ You need 1200 – 1600 mg of calcium daily.

¨ Find time to share meals as a family each week.

¨ A healthy diet is a balanced diet.

HEALTHY HABITS

¨ Exercise regularly. Make sure you are stretching adequately before athletic activities and wear appropriate safety gear.

¨ Make healthy choices against smoking and chewing tobacco. Be a leader among your peers. Most chronic adult smokers began in their teens and thought they could always quit.

¨ Practice regular self-examination of breasts or testicles monthly and notify your physician of any abnormalities or concerns.

¨ Don’t skimp on sleep.

¨ See your dentist every 6 months. Floss and brush regularly.

SAFETY

¨ Wear your seat belt. Don’t ride with someone who has been drinking. Parents should set good examples for their children.

¨ Wear a helmet when you bike, roller blade or skateboard.

¨ Learn how to swim. Never swim alone. Don’t combine swimming/boating and alcohol…a deadly combination.

¨ Guns are dangerous. Every 2 hours in the U.S. a gun kills someone’s child. Guns in the home substantially increase the risk of suicide and homicide. If you have a gun in your home, we strongly encourage you to get rid of it. If this is not an option, make certain that the gun is securely locked and stored separately from the ammunition and have family members learn gun safety. Terrible accidents can happen quickly.

¨ Sunscreen! (SPF 15 or above). Tanning beds may cause early wrinkles and skin cancer. They are not safe.

BEHAVIOR/DEVELOPMENT

¨ Try out different types of sports, jobs, hobbies, and clubs. Your experience with a variety of activities and people energizes you and makes you a more interesting person.

¨ If someone you know has discussed suicide or has violent intentions, be sure to tell someone who can help.

¨ Make rules for yourself ahead of time about lifestyle issues (alcohol, sex, drugs, smoking) and stick to them. Talk with your parents about these.

¨ Having sexual feelings is normal. Learn ways to say NO to sex. Abstinence is the only certain way of not becoming pregnant or contracting sexually transmitted diseases.

¨ If you need information about sex, sexually transmitted diseases, or contraception, talk to your parents or a trusted adult. Feel free to ask us questions confidentially about these issues in the office or call us on the telephone.

¨ At this time in your life, you are becoming responsible for your own healthcare. Never hesitate to call us with your questions and concerns.

FUTURE VISITS

We encourage adolescents to begin assuming responsibility for their health. We will often perform part of the interview and examination with the parents out of the exam room. A chaperone is available upon request. It is most helpful if we know of parental concerns, if any, in advance. We maintain confidentiality regarding our discussions with adolescent patients. We will inform parents if an adolescent is posing a threat to him/herself or someone else. We encourage parents to maintain open communication with their adolescent.