Navigating the Teen Years: A Guide to Adolescent Medicine

Teens and Medicine: Doctoring Adolescents

The teen years can be hard on both teenagers and their parents. Not only do teens have changing bodies they have to navigate, but they also feel an onslaught of emotions from hormonal changes that happen without warning.

Parents must also be patient with their teen children while they undergo these changes. The excellent medical team at Timberlake Pediatrics, located in Sacramento, CA, awaits your scheduled appointment to discuss your teen's adolescent medicine and how they can help.

A Different Doctor Appointment

Your teen's doctor appointments with our providers will differ slightly from a younger child's visit. Some elements of your older child's visit will remain the same, such as finding and charting your child's heart rate, blood pressure, and pulse. 

Our doctors explain that they document, compare, and monitor your child's weight and height with the national averages to find your child's "percentile," or growth percentage, at each milestone wellness visit. 

According to the highly trained staff at Timberlake Pediatrics located in Sacramento, CA, our doctors perform a few things differently during a teen wellness and adolescent medicine visit at their pediatric doctor's appointment. It is best to mention this to your teenagers before their visit.

• Depression screening - Teenagers have surging hormones. Sometimes, those hormones paired with life circumstances can cause depression or anxiety. It is important to note your child's mood and effects because our doctor may ask about it. Also, keeping an open line of communication with your teen will help as they face school or work pressures.
• Physical change - Our doctor may provide education to you and your child on your child's changing body due to hormones and puberty. It's always best to have an open, honest discussion with your child about these matters. Presenting a safe space will work wonders when your child needs to vent.
• Additional testing - Blood tests may be necessary for your child if they have any developmental issues. 

Schedule Your Child's Appointment Today

Our group of exceptional pediatric doctors at Timberlake Pediatrics in Sacramento, CA, believe in excellent, unparalleled, and quality healthcare and can discuss your child's needs involving adolescent medicine and wellness checkups. Call us today at (916) 688-5040 to schedule your child's appointment.

We await your teen's appointment to enter into the proper health and wellness journey pathway with your teen. We will walk this pathway with you and support your teens during these difficult phases of growth and development. Please list your questions, so we can answer all of them and put your mind at ease. We can't wait to meet you and your teen and become partners in the best health possible.