Your Teen’s Health: Preventative Care and More

Your teen needs routine and preventative care, just like they did during childhood. When it’s time for your adolescent to see a doctor, make an appointment at Mansoor Pediatrics. Your young adult meets with the expert pediatric team at Mansoor Pediatrics who specializes in working with teens (and their parents). The practice also helps with school and sports physicals if your teen needs to have those performed. If you’re in the Alexandria area, make your child’s first visit by calling the office or booking an appointment online.

Types of Preventative Care for Teens

Your teenager continues to grow, experience puberty, and develop throughout teen years. When they have a relationship with a pediatrician, your teen has someone they can trust to help with medical questions or concerns. Beginning at age 12 or 13, we routinely set aside some time for the doctor to speak with the teenager alone at the well visits.

If your adolescent is healthy, plan on bringing them in for a checkup about once a year. Of course, you’re more than welcome to come in more often if needed.

Preventative care can include:

• Obesity screening
• Nutrition counseling
• Immunization updates
• Behavioral counseling
• Sexually transmitted disease (STD) screening
• Birth control discussions
• Blood or urine lab work

First Pelvic Exam for Daughters

Your daughter’s first gynecological exam should occur between the ages of 13 and 15. This exam is a chance for your teen to talk with her pediatrician about menstruation, cramps, sexual activities, or other health concerns.

This teen well visit usually includes a general physical exam and an external genital exam only. Unless your daughter has abnormal circumstances, like a sexually transmitted disease or severe menstrual cramps, she most likely won’t need an internal pelvic exam during her teen years. You, as the parent, may be present for all or part of this exam, depending on your daughter’s needs and comfort level. We recommend establishing routine care with a gynecologist and beginning pap smears and pelvic exams around age 21.

Teen Immunizations

It depends on their age, as well as whether or not your teen is up to date on immunizations. By age 13, your adolescent should have the following vaccines and vaccinations:

• Hepatitis A and B
• Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
• Chickenpox
• Meningococcal vaccine
• Diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis booster (Tdap)
• Human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV)
• Flu shot
• Pneumococcus
• Polio
• Hemophilus Influenzae

The pediatricians at Mansoor Pediatrics work with your teen if they’re behind on any immunizations. As your teen gets older, they need fewer immunizations.