Growing up and moving on

When to “graduate” from the pediatrician

by Yolanda Spraggins, MD

At what point should you switch your child from a pediatrician to a physician who specializes in treating adults? This is a question parents of older teens frequently ask.

The right time to transition your child to a family medicine or internal medicine physician depends on several factors. First, check with your child’s pediatrician about office policies on treating older teens and young adults. Some pediatricians treat infants, children and youths up to age 21, following the same practice as T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital. Other pediatricians prefer to transition their 18-year-old patients to an adult-centered healthcare provider. And older teens often make their own decisions to leave the doctor of their childhood as they head off to college or work.

Switching from a pediatrician to an adult practitioner may be a lengthier process for children with developmental problems or chronic health conditions such as cerebral palsy or hypertension. In these special cases, a pediatrician may prefer to co-manage the health of a patient beyond age 21 with an adult specialist or pediatric sub-specialist. Moreover, most pediatricians refer young females who are sexually active to the services of an obstetrician/gynecologist.

Regardless of age, however, make sure your children understand the concept of taking care of their health. Encourage adolescents to speak for themselves instead of turning to parents for answers to a doctor’s questions. During office visits, I start directing questions to my patients around the age of 10 or 11. By the time they reach their late teens, they should feel comfortable talking to a physician, following through with their appointments, managing their medications, and asking their own questions during an office visit.

Yolanda Spraggins, MD, is a pediatrician with Galen Pediatrics with offices located on the Erlanger East Campus. For more information, call Erlanger’s physician referral line at 423-778-LINK (5465).