Adolescent Care
Adolescent Care (12 to 20 Years of Age)
Adolescents benefit from an annual preventive health care visit that addresses the physical, emotional and social aspects of their health. Adolescence is a time of transition between childhood and adult life and is accompanied by dramatic changes. Accidents, homicide and suicide are the leading causes of adolescent death. Sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse, pregnancy and antisocial behavior are important causes of -- or result from -- physical, emotional and social adolescent problems. Most health problems related to these factors are preventable and annual visits with the primary care provider (PCP) can be helpful in dealing with the consequences of these behaviors.
Keeping immunization up to date is another important reason for an annual well care exam and visit to your PCP. It is important to be protected from preventable diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, and varicella (chicken pox).
Adolescent Women
A Pap test and pelvic exam are important parts of a woman's routine health care because they can detect cancer or abnormalities that may lead to cancer of the cervix. Women should have a Pap test at least once every 3 years, beginning about 3 years after they begin to have sexual intercourse, but no later than age 21.
Adolescent women ages 16 to 21 years should have an annual Chlamydia screening. Chlamydia Trachomatis is a sexually transmitted infection that affects men and women. It is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the United States. An estimated 3 million new cases of Chlamydia infection occur each year.
Most people who have Chlamydia usually do not know it because they have no symptoms. Chlamydia can be treated and cured easily and inexpensively. If it is not detected, Chlamydia can lead to pelvic infection, infertility and tubal pregnancies in women. In men, Chlamydia can cause painful genital infections. Chlamydia infection also increases risk for HIV infection in both men and women. Babies born to women with Chlamydia can develop eye infections and pneumonia.
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Recommended Health Care: 12 Years - 20 Years
- Doctor Visits: Schedule a doctor visit once a year.
Recommended Immunizations: 11 Years - 12 Years
- Tdap (1 dose)
- HPV (3 doses)
- MCV4 (1 dose)