Adolescent Medicine

Welcome to Child and Adolescent Clinic

Adolescence can be a confusing time for both teens and their parents. As the adolescent matures both physically and psychologically, he or she may have an increased desire for privacy and an increasing number of questions about themselves and their place in the world. At the Child and Adolescent Clinic, we acknowledge and respect this increasing independence by changing the structure of our visits to include time with the adolescent alone, as well as time with the adolescent and his or her parent. We try to be good listeners, responding respectfully to the concerns of our adolescent patients.

The transition from adolescence to adulthood takes many forms. For some, this will include going to college. We offer pre-college visits to ensure that the teen has received appropriate vaccinations, including the fairly new meningitis vaccine, Menactra, and the Tetanus/Pertussis (whopping cough) booster vaccine. We also emphasize age-appropriate safety information, including personal safety and the dangers of alcohol and drug use. If the adolescent has chronic conditions that require ongoing prescriptions, we work with the adolescent to ensure continued access to those medications, either by providing the prescriptions through our clinic, or by coordinating the transition to another provider (such as student health) by transferring the necessary medical records and information. For all young adults with complex medical conditions, we work with them to make the transition to adult medical care a successful one.